


Stubbornness is not a Virtue

by Rchameleon



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Everyone but You is Amused by This, F/F, F/M, Flowey May or May Not be Catching Feelings, Found Family, Frisk Isn't An Innocent Snowflake, Hugs and Nuzzles, It's Contagious, M/M, My First Fanfic, No idea where this might go, Okay so maybe I do have an idea where this is going, Possible Romance, Reader Has Crush On Asgore, male reader - Freeform, reader is a monster
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2018-08-20 02:58:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 55
Words: 179,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8233753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rchameleon/pseuds/Rchameleon
Summary: In a world where Monsters and Humans can finally exist together in peace, you are a homeless monster with no plans further than the next meal you eat. That all changes when you meet Frisk, a young child determined to save a society that has been completely forgotten by the world above.





	1. Down the Rabbit Hole

They have ice cream in the freezer. It’s a pint, covered in frost, and is caramel flavored. A human brand, but you have some of that powder to imbue the treat with magic. When was the last time you had something like this? In all honesty, you can’t remember. Maybe it was when you were just a babybones, crying for sweets until one of your guardians gave you a cone. You certainly didn’t get any as a moody teenager. No, you simply brooded in whatever private space you could find. No guardian would reward your rude behavior. 

You like to think if your parents were around you wouldn’t be in the situation you’re in. A couple that would teach you things like morality, how to get a job, or properly socialize. As a young adult, you are supposed to be in college, earning some degree that’ll give you a decent chance of a normal life. You’re supposed to have fun with friends, go to parties, maybe even find some love. Or maybe you’ve always been broken. No use dwelling on the possibilities, though. It’s not like you’ll ever get a chance to find out. 

But no. Whether it was fate or the results of your poor choices, you are now standing in front of a stranger’s freezer, staring down a pint of ice cream. The owner is not due back for another hour or so, judging by your previous observations. You have the time to admire, to savor this moment. It’s a terrible idea, you know this, but you can’t help it. You’re totally going to eat this pint of ice cream.

It doesn’t take long to find a spoon, and once the lid is pried open you spill the powder from your pouch, letting the magic set in. Then you sit at the kitchen table, bag full of stolen goodies at your feet, and begin eating. Between spoonfuls of the frozen treat, you are practically moaning. The taste is so much better than the trash at the soup kitchen, and you can’t even imagine going back from this.

“H-hey! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” A loud, angry voice surprises you out of your seat. You spin around and spot a large, balding man running towards you. The homeowner. And he is very angry. Your SOUL begins beating fast, like you can only imagine a human’s would if they were frightened.

Without thinking, you throw the almost empty container at him. It splatters against his red face, temporarily stopping his pursuit in order to wipe the mess from his eyes. Using this distraction to your advantage, you grab your bag and sprint towards the open kitchen window. It overlooks the backyard, and if you time it just right, you can vault yourself over the fence and escape before the man can even make it to his front door.

You jump through that window, landing with practiced ease onto the grass. You can hear his rage fueled sputtering behind you as your legs carry you towards the fence. The bag is thrown over first, followed by you. Crouching on the sidewalk, you grab the bag and heave it over your shoulder before standing up again. A quick glance around you confirms that no one has seen your stunt, so you run away from that house, hoping the guy didn’t get a good look at your face.

You see, that’s the problem with being a monster. Most are way too unique to be mistaken for anyone but who they are. But at least cat monsters, for example, are common enough that they can get away with burgling if their coats are simple enough. It’s worse for you- skeleton monsters already have a bad reputation, and they are uncommon enough that everyone is a suspect once one of your kind commits a crime. Sometimes you wish you were a human. It would be so much easier to blend into a crowd.

It’s a pain in the ass to pull these stunts of yours off. Targets have to live far away from your usual territory in the city, but not too far that you can’t make it back quick enough. Your magic has to be constantly used (sometimes for that ‘telekinesis’ you use to pick locks, other times you give your clothing some ‘padding’ to make yourself look bigger than the small frame you actually have). At the end of the day you’re just plain exhausted. 

The few acquaintances you have tend to suggest getting a job instead of robbing people. But just the sound of it has you even more exhausted. And, well, what kind of job can you get without even a high school diploma? Hell, even trying to get a GED is off the table when you only steal enough to keep food in your mouth.

You briefly recall the one time you tried to get government assistance. After all the paperwork you filled in, the one thing that stumped you was the demand to know how much your parents made. It’s like orphans don’t exist in their little fantasy world. You didn’t even both turning the papers in, opting to just throw everything in the trash and leave. 

Before you know it you’re back in the city. Your SOUL finally begins to calm itself from the frantic beating earlier and you rub your sternum in appreciation. Slowing your pace down to a stroll, you wander by a local café, smiling when you spot the various Halloween decorations that have been popping up all over town.

You’re half tempted to go in and spend what little money you have on an overpriced coffee, but a familiar figure catches your eyes and you groan. They perk up at this and you draw the hood of your jacket over your head, hoping she doesn’t spot you as your try to slink off. Of course. Lady Luck is not on your side today.

“Oooh Sugar!” An overenthusiastic voice shrieks into your ear canals and you cringe. A surprisingly strong hand grips your shoulder and turns you around. Standing before you is a small, beautiful butterfly monster. Her wings flutter behind her as she excitedly squeals and throws her tiny arms around your neck. And then squeezes. HARD. If you needed air to breath you’d be gasping for it right now.

“Hi, Gigi.” You croak out, blinking away tears as her perfume wafts up into your nasal cavity.

“Come! Have lunch with me! My treat!” She insists and who are you to refuse free food? You follow her into the café and she leads you to a small booth. 

“So what do you want now?” You ask as a waitress places a drink that smells strongly of pumpkin spice in front of you. Taking a small sip, you shrug. It isn’t that bad.

“I just want to see if you reconsidered my offer.” She flutters her eyelashes at you.

“Do I look like someone who changes their mind that easily?” You reply, drumming your fingers against the table. The sensation of wood against your fingertips is soothing.

“I don’t see why you wouldn’t reconsider!” She huffs, “Everyone in this town knows your situation, and so far everyone has been very considerate, but Honey! Charity doesn’t last long. Sign up with me, and as your agent, I can make you very comfortable.”

“You think letting me sleep on a park bench every night is charitable?” You raise a brow, “And, well, c’mon Gigi! Me? Modeling? You do realize I’m a literal skeleton, right?”

“Skeletons are in, Sugar.” Gigi insists, and reaches forward to rub her thumbs against your cheekbones. “And your facial features are just perfect for the camera! And those freckles- very handsome! The perfect ‘boy next door’ look! Everyone will want a piece of you!”

You pull away from her grip, purple blush staining your cheeks. “H-hey, watch the bubble!” 

“Please, stop selling yourself short.” Gigi says, looking solemn all of a sudden. You shoot her a confused look and her features visibly soften. She pats your arm. “You have this! Sign up with me for a year, tops, and you’ll earn enough to do whatever you want after!”

Oh so tempting. But your heels are already dug in, and you’re not that desperate for cash to try a career in modeling. Robbing a house? Sure. But posing for pictures. Nuh-uh, no way. 

….

You’ll question your priorities later.

Gigi’s perkiness fades once she realizes you’re not about to give in, but she gets you a sandwich anyway. You’re glad she’s a woman of her word. The two of you part on good terms.

As you exit the café, you spy a familiar trio of kids walking by, followed by another child you don’t recognize. They’re walking home from school, you think, as most of them were still wearing their backpacks. Good kids, you remember. They like hearing stories about growing up on the streets and all the wacky but heartwarming adventures you go on.

“Hey, look! It’s Bones! He’ll tell you!” One of them, a human child, points at you. You give the group a wave and all of a sudden they’re swarming you.

“Can you tell the new kid about-“

“They don’t believe us! But we know it’s true!”

“The mountain! The mountain!” 

They’re all speaking at once, except for the new kid. Instead, they are looking up at you with a question in their eyes. You self consciously rub the back of your neck and shrug. “Okay, guys, simmer down. What do you want me to talk about?”

“Tell them about the time you went hiking up Mr. Ebott!” Another child demands.

You chuckle. “Really? That old story?” They all nod at once, and In unison grab your arms to drag you towards a table. “Okay, okay!” You sit down, dropping your bag on the floor. “So, what did you tell them so far?”

“That you went up the mountain, but saw something scary!”

“And that a wild Monster lives up there and eats kids!”

You shakes your head and look down at the new kid, who looks really troubled. “It’s just an old legend.” You explain, “A myth, really, about the mountain. Back when Monsters and Humans didn’t get along so well.”

“W-wait! Then you didn’t go up the mountain?” When you shake your head again, they all groan.

“Do you still want me to tell the story or not?” You ask, and they all frantically nod. “Well, okay then! A thousand years ago, there lived Humans and Monsters. They lived in peace, but one day a war broke out. No one really remembers why, as all records have been destroyed by time. But we do know how the humans won.

“You see, Monster Kings and Queens back then fought in wars alongside their armies. And the Monster King was the fiercest fighter of them all! But one day, he and his Queen were captured right by the base of Mt. Ebott. Later that night they were both executed.

“Once news reached the remainder of the Monster army, they all fled. The skeletons to the desert, the furry ones to the harsh north, and anywhere else humans can not normally reach. Until a few centuries ago, Monsters chose to remain hidden from Humanity.

“Now, after the execution, the Human soldiers celebrated for three days. But at the end of the third day, something happened, and they were forced to flee their camp. One by one, soldiers were picked off from the group until only about a third were left by the time they reached one of the nearby villages.

“The villagers would later go up the mountain, but found no evidence of anything that happened. Nothing remained of the fallen soldiers. And certainly no evidence of a beast! But why would their soldiers lie to them? So the villagers forbade anyone from climbing up that mountain again, for fear of something terrible happening to them.

Over the years, it became a rumor that the lost SOUL of the Monster King still lingers in the mountain. Enraged by his death, he was the one to slay those soldiers. And if anybody else approaches the area, their own SOUL will be swallowed by him. Once he has taken enough souls, he can rise again and re-enter the realm of the living to take vengeance on those who wronged him.”

All of the kids were raptly listening, hanging on your every word as you finish the tale. Only the new child still looked troubled. There is a glint in their eyes that can only spell danger for anyone involved. You look away from them and focus on the sky instead. The sun is slowly setting.

“Jeremy, what are you doing here?! You should be home by now!” Came a furious voice, and one of the kids groan as a woman stomps up to the table.

“I was just hearing a story from Bones-“ He starts and the woman shakes her head.

“No excuses, young man! The rest of you too- leave Bones alone!” And with that the group scatters. The woman gives you an apologetic look but you shrug it off. It’s not like the kids were actually bothering you. Where was she when Gigi was here? “I’m sorry that the boys keep bothering you- they seem to really like your stories. They talk about you all the time.” You look at her in surprise and she looks away.

“They’re no bother.” You smile, “They’re good kids.”

“Well, that’s, uh. Good. Yeah.” She tugs at a loose strand of her air. “I- I was wondering. Is Bones really your name? It’s just, kind of weird? Okay, I’ll shut up now-”

You laugh. “It’s about as real as any other name.” You assure her. You do have a ‘real’ name though. It’s not something you’re comfortable sharing with strangers though.

“Oh! Okay! I, uh, guess I’ll see you around, then!” She waves and backs away. You watch her go, slightly unnerved. It’s kind of strange for someone to approach you like that. It gives you a warm feeling in your SOUL, though. You wouldn’t mind talking to her again.

Alone now, you stand right back up and gather your things. It’s going to get really dark soon and you don’t want to be seen wandering around at night. Lately, there have been violent crimes against Monsters in the city. It only happens at night so far, so an unofficial curfew has been established for everyone’s safety. 

There is a safe spot just outside the city, near the forest. A small cottage stands there, abandoned long ago by its original owners. It has a bedroom, living room, and kitchenette along with an unfinished basement. With a little work you managed to make the place comfortable and secure- especially when you rigged up a few magical traps around the area. 

It takes forty minutes to walk there, so you get started. Taking a few shortcuts through empty alleyways is risky, but you manage to get through fine. A homeless group of humans approach you for some handouts, so you share the carton of cigarettes you snatched from the house earlier. You all shoot the breeze for a bit, talking gossip about various things before you’re on your way again.

But as you cross the empty highway, about to enter the forest, the sound of sirens make you freeze. Your first instinct is to run into the forest, but you know they spotted you. Running makes things worse, especially since you’re not sure if they know about your earlier transgression. So you stand still, waiting as a cruiser pulls up alongside you and the cop rolls down his window. 

He’s a cat monster, tawny brown with a white patch over his left eye. Looking you over he gives a wry grin, “You must be Bones!”

You snort. “Shit, does everybody know who I am?”

“You’re a popular guy.” He shrugs and looks over your shoulder, expression troubled, “Hey, I didn’t want to disturb you or anything, but I just got a report about a missing child.”

“Aw man. Who’s the kid?” You ask.

“Calls themself ‘Frisk’. Last seen wearing a blue sweater with purple stripes. A woman said she and you last saw them at that cafe down on main street.” The officer taps a claw against his steering wheel, “If you have any other info, I’d be mighty glad to hear it.”

“He was with the woman’s son and his friends from school.” You remember, “They were asking me about that old legend of the Mountain King. Getting into the Halloween spirit, you know?”

“Oh, yeah. I know all about that.” He rolls his eyes, “We already have reports about pumpkins getting smashed against buildings and evil clowns scaring the elderly.”

“I’ll keep an eye socket out for them.” You promise.

“All right. Have a safe night.” He drives off.

The rest of your journey is done in peace. You enter the domicile and lock the door behind you, throwing your bag onto the table. With an exhausted sigh you go through it. A couple hundred in cash, a few watches, an outdated cellphone… But the most valuable item is not something you’ll be selling. A smile lights up your face when your fingers brush the cover of a small, leatherbound book. 

It’s a simple collection of Grimm’s Fairytales. Childish, maybe. But you loved reading them as a child, and still love them as an adult. You place it in your jacket, along with the cash. You’ll be selling the watches later in the week. The phone will have to be wiped tomorrow. For now, you can rest.

Slowly, you make your way to the bedroom. An old queen sized bed greets you. Its sheets are crumpled and in need of a wash, but right now it looks fit for royalty. With a relieved sigh you collapse facedown onto it, the mattress loudly creaking in protest. Curling up in a little ball, you drowse off. 

“Oh little skeleton!” A low voice calls out in amusement. With a start, you sit up, taking in your surroundings. Darkness is all around you. You must have been asleep for a while. Unable to see a thing, you remain still, ears straining. Everything seems normal though- the only sounds you hear now are the chirping of crickets and the low hoots of that owl that lives in the tree by the cottage. But you know you heard something.

“Where are you hiding? I know you’re in there.” The voice calls out again, “Perhaps you are in the bedroom? I can’t see you, but that can be fixed in a moment.” They giggle, like they’re playing some kind of game. But this isn’t a game, you realize with a sickening lurch. Oh no, this person is one of them. The people that have been attacking monsters. 

“I see right through those traps of yours.” They taunt. 

The phone you stole. It’s still in the living room. As quietly as you can, you roll off the bed and crawl onto the floor. From there, you army crawl towards the table. You hear movement coming from outside, but you ignore it. The traps give you time, even if they do know how to disable them.

With a shaky hand you grab that phone and switch it on. The light is dim and the battery is low. You curse but try dialing the police anyway. Crap. No signal.

“What’s that I see? A light in the darkness!” You shut the phone off. That’s when the banging starts. You jump, eyes moving towards the front door. They’re just pounding on it, again and again, cackling with mirth. You hope the door doesn’t give away.

You don’t know how long you sit there, listening to the person on the other side as they cackle and pound at your door. But they eventually stop and say, almost in surprise, “Now who is this? What are you doing here, little one? Come to pay the skeleton a visit?” A low chuckle reaches your ears. “Well, we aren’t supposed to hurt Humans, but there’s always an exception for little ones like you!” There’s a muffled sound, then a sharp scream.

Before you can even think about it, you’re up and the door is unlocked. Magic blares from your eye sockets, lighting up the area around you in a purple mist. And there, on the porch, is a tall figure holding a baseball bat and a cowering child wearing an oversized sweater.

“Back. Off.” You growl and the intruder turns their head to look at you. Their grin is sick and twisted, mad with delight and rage. 

“Oh, how nice it is to have some light! Such a pretty little color too!” He coos, “Now, who should we hurt first?”

In the surrounding forest, more figures appear. You curse to yourself, realizing that you fell for a trap. Of course this guy isn’t the only one here. It’s easy to fight off one human, but a whole group? Especially for a monster like you, who is more used to fleeing than fighting. Going back inside the cottage is just trapping yourself, and with the child (Frisk is their name, you recall)? How can you protect the both of you?

“Now, be a good little skeleton and take your beating.” You grit your teeth as he circles you. You end up copying his movements, making sure you never turn your back on him or his bat. This ends up with you standing right by Frisk, who is shivering. With fright or from the cold, you aren’t sure. There isn’t much of an expression on their face. It’s kind of creepy… “Hey! Are you even listening to me?” Oops. He sounds kind of annoyed now. You refocus on him.

“Leave us alone!” You say, and he laughs.

“Can’t do that.” He grips his bat and swings at you. Your magic flares and expands, meeting the object halfway. The weapon breaks in half. 

There’s a moment in time where everyone just stands there, shocked. Then Frisk is grabbing your hand and the two of you are running into the woods. You stumble after them, clumsy and awkward compared to the kid’s graceful movements. 

Vaguely, you hear curses and shouts behind you. The group must’ve gave chase. Frisk makes a sharp turn and you almost fall. They somehow catch you before you do, letting you lean on their shoulder for a bit before you right yourself. Their pace remains fast and sure and you have no idea why you’re letting them take charge of this. 

But if you were in charge what would you have done? Stay and try to fight off a violent group of humans? Barricade yourself in the cottage? Blindly run away? All could result in disaster and frankly you’re kind of glad you’re not getting a say in all of this. 

You can’t help but notice that the child is leading you away from the city though. “F-frisk, where are we going?” You hiss at them, “We can’t get help out here!” They shake their head and continue pulling you. You continue to go along, noting that your pursuers are still trying to catch up. 

Forest gives way to rock soon enough. You must be near the mountain. Panic grips you. “Frisk, we can’t climb in the dark. It’s too dangerous, we’ll fall!” You grab their wrist and tug. They hesitate and look back at you, shrinking away when their eyes lock on yours. Right. Your magic must still be lighting the way. “We’re going to have to find another way.” You insist, dimming your magic a bit.

“No.” They hoarsely whisper, looking pained, “We have to be here.”

“Why?” You desperately ask.

“You’ll see.” They answer, and you let them take the lead again. Somehow they lead you down an unwoven path, obviously remembering every twist and turn there is to take to their destination. You can’t make any sense of it, but know you have to trust. Your SOUL is thumping against your sternum, and all of this exertion has you gasping for air you don’t really need. When they finally stop you collapse on your ass, head spinning.

“Did we… did we lose them?” You whisper, and Frisk shakes their head just as you hear another shout from the group. The child grips your shoulders and stare into your eyes.

“Don’t be scared.” They say, then turn and point. You gasp when you see a large hole in the ground, not even three feet in front of you.

“What in the world…?” You whisper, but Frisk doesn’t answer this time. Instead, they walk towards the hole. “Frisk, don’t!” You protest.

“It’s okay.” They say, then fall backwards. With a start you lunge forward, desperately wrapping your phalanges around their arms. 

The ground disappears underneath you. 

“No.” You whisper, then clutch Frisk to yourself. They wrap their arms around your neck, tucking their head underneath your chin. You look up as the two of you descend, catching the startled look of the man that was so intent on hurting the two of you. 

At least he doesn’t get that satisfaction.

Without conscious thought, your magic expands once again, enveloping the two of you and slowing everything down until you feel like you are in some kind of Alice in Wonderland cartoon. All you need is some some furniture and creepy faces falling down with you.

Soon you can’t even see the stars above, so you dare to look down. And what greets you…

Is a patch of golden flowers.


	2. The Queen of Hearts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not every chapter is gonna be an Alice in Wonderland reference... I just like fairy tales.

Your magic fizzles out just a few feet above the ground. There’s another frozen moment of time, where all you can think is _well, fuck_ and then you are falling the last few feet. Frisk shouts in surprise, but they’re not in any danger- your tailbone is. You land on that sucker, and despite the dense cover of flowers, pain travels up your spine.

“Oh shit.” You swear and fall over on your side.

“Are you okay?!” Frisk scrambles out of your grip, little hands hovering over your side. Their eyes are wide with concern.

“Give me a sec.” You whimper.

“Yeah, okay. They won’t follow us down here.” Frisk leaves your line of vision. You can only assume they are exploring your surroundings.

“How’d you know this was here?” You wonder, taking a deep breath and cringing as you push yourself back up.

“I dunno. I just knew we had to come here.” They shrug off your question with a practiced ease. Your eyes narrow.

“Well, that’s a whole load of bullshit right there."

“You swore two times now.” They solemnly reply, “When we get back to the surface, you owe me a nice cream.”

“....What’s a nice cream?”

“Never mind. Look, there’s an exit right there.” They point.

You finally look at your surroundings. The two of you are in a room, shrouded in what you can only describe as ‘twilight’. The only source of light, you realize, would have to come from above. But it’s night time now, and you can barely make out an open doorway across from you. There’s something ominous about it, and you find yourself wanting to stay put.

 “How about we just stay here the night?” You suggest, “And in the morning I can float us up. Those… people should be gone by then.”

 "We can’t get out that way.” Frisk shakes their head.

 “Why not?”

 “There’s a barrier. It’ll keep us trapped here until it’s broken.” They point again at the exit. “We have to go through there.”

 A barrier in the mountain? Your mind races. Why do those words sound so familiar? A face flashes across your mind- an older skeleton, cackling and gesturing wildly towards you, and then it vanishes. You shake your head. Now is not the time to think about your crazy Great Grand Uncle Impact. There’s a reason he’s not in your life anymore. Just drop it, brain.

 You snap out of your thoughts when Frisk begins tugging at your arm. Sighing, you climb to your feet. “Fine, fine.” You mutter, “Don’t think, for a second though, that I believe anything you’re saying.”

 “It’s fine. You don’t have to believe in the truth for it to be true.” They say, and the brat drags you away from the flower patch.

 Turns out the ‘exit’ just leads to another room. Frisk pauses, as if expecting something. You roll your eyes and shake off the grip they have on your hand. You take a few steps forward. The ground beneath your feet shifts.

 “Ahh!” You shriek and jump back as a… flower? Yeah, a flower pops up from the ground. It has a bright, cheery smile on its face that falters once it looks up and spots you. Then it frowns and looks around you towards Frisk.

“Really, Frisk? _Again_?” It hisses.

 “Sorry.” Frisk says.

 “I told you, there’s nothing else to do here! Take your happy ending and just leave it alone!” It’s yelling. Why is the flower yelling?

 “No can do.” Frisk shrugs.

 “Agh!” Boy, do they sound frustrated. “Sometimes it’s like talking to a brick wall! A _stupid_ brick wall. And what’s with the bag of bones here, huh?! Two of them is more than enough!”

 “Hey!” You feel kind of hurt.

 “Flowey,” Frisk sighs, “He was in trouble. I had to help him.”

 “Yeah, yeah, you like to help.” Flowey scoffs, “When are you going to realize, you idiot, that there are some things that can’t be helped?”

 “Look, we have to get a move on.” Frisk crosses their arms, “Are you gonna introduce us to the Underground or not?”

 “I- You know what? No!” Flowey yells, “I don’t have time for this. Just do whatever.” With that, it burrows under the dirt again.

 “What was that.” You look over at Frisk, who is fidgeting with the sleeves of their sweater.

“I really made him mad this time.”

 “ _This time_ ? _”_

 “I can’t explain right now. First, we have to find-” You cut Frisk off by grabbing by the shoulders, looming over them with the most displeased look you have ever mustered.

 “No. You’re going to tell me right now-” Now it’s your turn to be cut off. A ball of fire hits your side and you’re flying into the air, only to slam into a wall. You slump to the ground, stunned.

 “What a cretin, torturing such a poor, innocent youth…” A soft, feminine voice washes over you. Looking up, you see a large monster with brilliant white fur approaching Frisk. She is wearing long robes that remind you of the ceremonial crap the Monster Minister wears to official outings. Hell, it even had the Delta Rune on it…

 “Are you alright?” She asks, and Frisk nods before casting an uncertain glance back at you. You barely resist flipping the kid off. “Do not worry, my child. He will not harm you.” She glares at you.

 “B-but-” Frisk starts.

 “My name is Toriel.” She introduces herself, and places a paw on Frisk’s shoulder, “I am the caretaker of these ruins.”

  _Toriel_. The name makes you jerk up in surprise. You know that name. Hell, every monster knows that name. It’s sacred and ancient, and no one would name their child after her. The fallen queen.

 “I see you know who I am.” She turns her muzzle down at you, “See to it that you do not approach this child again. They are under my protection now. Tell _the king_ that.”

 Dismissing you, she gently pushes Frisk away. They hesitate, however, and look over at you again. Giving you a thumbs up, they mouth “Later” to you. After that they follow Toriel out of the room.

 You sit there in stunned silence. Was that really… her? Your mind races, thinking back to those history lessons you sat through as a child. She definitely looked like the historical portraits. The same face, muzzle, ears, eyes… Even the fire magic she used. You remember reading that she was quite fond of using fire magic, especially for cooking. The pain on your side tells you it’s just as effective for fighting too.

Before you were alone in the world, you had family. Your Great Grand Uncle Impact. He was out of his mind half the time, but he took good care of you. Always had a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food to eat. Before he died, you were kind of happy.

 You recall one of your last conversations with him. You were what, twelve years old? It was after school, and you were trying to get some homework done. He was pestering you, and you were half tuning him out at the time. But now, that conversation rings through your head, crisp and clear.

  _“What’s that you’re reading?”_

  _“History. About the war.”_

 " _Hm?” He peers down at your open book, “Oooh, that war. Ya’know, I know plenty about that war that these old books don’t.”_

  _“Yeah? Like what?” You play along._

_“Like how the entire thing ended. The execution? Complete rubbish!” He cackles, “Wanna know what really happened?”_

  _“Sure.”_

  _“They didn’t kill our King and Queen. Oh, no! That would be too easy. That wouldn’t prolong their suffering.” His voice lowers, “Back then, you know, there were humans with magic too.”_

_“Really.” You try to concentrate on your homework, but he rattles on._

_“The human army- they gathered seven of those magic humans, and they locked the King and Queen down in the mountains. They put a hell of a lot of other monsters down there too, of course. They just kept capturin’ monsters and pushing them through the barrier. Monsters go in, they can’t go out. Is so that the humans can have strength in numbers.” He scowls, “Can you imagine? Being trapped underground, never seeing the sky again? Torture. The poor bastards.”_  

You don’t want to believe it. Frisk must be crazy. Impact certainly was. But there’s an uneasy feeling in your SOUL that insists that there must be some truth to their words. After all, even a broken clock is right twice a day. So if it’s true… that means you’re stuck here. Underground. Forever.

Or maybe not. Frisk implied that they have been here before. That means they have escaped before, right?

Sighing, you look down. Your jacket took most of the queen’s attack. There is a decent sized hole there, and the shirt underneath is singed. Luckily, your ribs weren’t burned- just bruised. You’ve got to get moving.

There’s no sign of Frisk or the queen anywhere in the next room. You ignore your body’s protests and climb the stairs to the next area.

What follows is a series of small traps and puzzles, all of which the solutions were already done or written down for easy solving. Which is a good thing, since you really did not have the patience for puzzles this late at night.

Is it still night, though? You pat down your jacket and pull out a slightly burned phone. The time reads seven in the morning. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun.

You shriek when something grasps your wrist. There’s a familiar laugh, and you look down to see it’s Frisk laughing at you.

“You know, I am seriously about to blow a gasket here-” You start.

“Shh.” Frisk says, looking around, “We’re near Mom’s house.”

“Mom? Your mom lives here?”

“Well, yeah. You saw her.” Frisk explains, but it just makes you more confused.

“No I didn’t?”

“ _Anyway_. She’s shopping right now, so we have time to go inside. I’m pretty sure she keeps a spare key to the basement door in her room. Then we can leave, and I can get to the lab…” Frisk mutters to themself.

“The lab? There’s a lab down here?” You are beginning to long for the simple things again- like breaking into people’s homes and eating their ice cream.

“C’mon.” Together, the two of you enter a quaint little house. Walking into it felt like walking into one of those old family sitcoms. A bright and cheerful place compared to the dying tree in the front yard. Frisk walks one way, and your nonexistent stomach leads you to the kitchen in the opposite direction.

You rummage through the fridge and drawers automatically, movements practiced and slow. Everything looks normal enough, though you don’t know what you expected from a kitchen owned by royalty. Silver spoons? Golden goblets?

You stand on your tiptoes and something catches your eye. It’s on top of the fridge, and you grab it. A pocketknife. You test the blade against your pointer finger. Still sharp. You put it in the pocket of your pants.

“Bones, I said her bedroom. Not the kitchen!” Frisk calls out, sounding a bit frustrated. Good.

“Did you find it yet?” You ask.

“No. Can you please help me?” Frisk asks.

The queen’s bedroom is kind of plain. Nothing more than a very large bed, desk, and a set of drawers. As Frisk looks under her bed, you amuse yourself by flipping through her diary. It’s full of knock knock jokes and skeleton puns. After snorting at the last one, you close it and begin looking through her drawers.

You pause once you reach the sock drawer. “Scandalous.” You observe out loud.

“They’re just socks. I don’t know why everyone keeps saying that.”

You respond by grabbing a pair and throwing it at the child’s head. They yelp in surprise and turn to glare at your grinning face. “Socks are a private matter.” You joke.

“Very interesting to hear you say that.” You and Frisk freeze, and in unison turn to look at the doorway. Standing there is a very pissed off queen. “Especially when the owner of said sock drawer catches you rifling through it.”

“Please don’t kill me.” You say and Frisk slaps a hand over their face.

“Do you truly wish to leave these ruins, skeleton?” Her voice is eerily calm. “Then you shall leave the ruins.”

She grabs you by your jacket and drags you out of the room. “Help!” You mouth to Frisk, but they shrug and mouth back “Sorry”. Hmph. Some help they are.

You are dragged back to the living room and down the stairs. For a second you think that the queen has turned into some kind of horror movie monster. The type that keeps handsome young things in their basement like a pet. But no, that’s not your fate.

Apparently, Frisk is right. There is a door in the basement. A big, heavy one that you’re pretty sure you won’t be able to budge even on a good day. But she opens it like it’s nothing. And outside…

It’s snowing. Oh no. You hate the cold.

“No, no, please! I’ll be good don’t make me go out there!” You shout and cling to her arm.

“Let go of me this instant.” She says and shakes her arm. It takes a while for your grip to loosen, but when it does you land in a pile of snow and the door shuts in your face.

“Nooo!” You stand and start banging on the door. “It’s too cold! My jacket does nothing!”

A few moments later the door opens again and fabric is thrown in your face. You stumble back and before you catch your bearings the door is shut again.

It’s a dark purple turtleneck sweater. The fabric is soft, and heated- possibly by magic fire. You guess she felt a little sorry for you after all. You shrug off your old jacket and pull the sweater over your head. It helps a lot.

But, still… “Frisk, you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.” You glare at the door, then do a double take. Wrapped in foil, sitting right on the ground, is a large slice of pie.


	3. A Hard Truth

“Stupid Frisk. Stupid queen. Stupid weather that shouldn’t exist while under a mountain. Stupid sn-OOOW!” You trip and land face first into yet another pile of snow. Groaning, you push yourself to your knees and shiver as snow drips from your eye sockets and mouth. “Stupid brain freeze.” You mutter.

Looking behind you, you see a rather large branch lying right across the path you were walking. You must have tripped over it while you weren’t paying attention. With a tired sigh, you get up and brush the snow off your clothing. Sleep is really needed right now, but the thought of trying to take a nap in the snow just throws you off. But damn are you exhausted.

Your steps slow as you approach a bridge. There are bars intersecting the middle, but they are spread so far apart. Why are they even there? Snorting, you pass through without incident. 

Up until this point, you encountered no other monsters. No signs, besides the well worn path you are walking, that anyone else lives in this area. You were beginning to think that the queen banished you from the only safe haven in the entire mountain. Never mind what Frisk told you about this ‘lab’, you’re perfectly fine with thinking that the kid is off their rocker. 

But then you see a small hut. It’s just standing there, empty but… It looks like it’s been recently used. You approach the small building and peek into it. A steaming mug of coffee is right there on the counter. Taking a cautious sip, you snicker. Not coffee after all. It’s spiked hot chocolate. 

The hot liquid warms up your frigid bones and your mood lifts. Without a care in the world you make yourself at home in the hut. There’s nothing noteworthy here, really. Old car magazines that are well worn and half empty bottles of ketchup are about all there is. Still, it’s a lot warmer in here than out there. 

A soft, snuffling noise outside perks your interest. You peek out of your safe haven and come nose to nose with a dog. You yelp and fall backwards. Landing on your back, you close your eyes and decide that you’ve had enough of today.

Too bad the dog didn’t get your memo. With a distressed whine, he enters the hut with you and shakes your prone form. When you don’t move, he gets even more distressed, and even resorts to licking your face. The slobber grosses you out enough to push the mutt off of you.

“I’m fine, I’m fine…” You try glaring, but you’re kind of caught off guard when you see that the dog is wearing a suit of armor. “You, uh, just surprised me.” The dog just stares at you and pants. 

Dog Monsters make you uneasy. They come in a variety of sizes, colors, and levels of intelligence. Some can talk, others can not. It always confuses you, and you’re never sure how to address them. Hell, there was one point in time where you tried having a conversation with one of them, only to find out they were just a regular dog. 

This one looks like an odd mix. Standing on two legs, obviously a monster. But so far he doesn’t seem the type to talk. Still, you’re pretty sure that he’ll understand you.

“I’m kind of lost.” You shrug when he huffs in amusement. Yeah, definitely understanding you. “How far until I reach town?”

He barks and wags his tail. With surprising strength, he then helps you up and drags you away from the warm hut. Your protests fall on deaf ears as the mutt leads you back on the path. 

You hate to admit it, but his company is greatly appreciated. Somehow, the air seems lighter as the dog bounds through the snow and circles around to check up on you. The snow annoys you less, to the point where you are even catching snowflakes in your hands just to admire their fragile structures. 

The dog barks, startling you out of your thoughts. Panting wildly, he leads you to another hut. Surrounding the small station are various snow sculptures. All of them look like long necked dogs, but the necks snapped midway through, leaving the heads on the ground in front of them. Kind of morbid, in your opinion. But your companion is wagging his tail proudly and looking at you for approval.

“Good job.” You smile, biting back a chuckle when that tail wags harder, “You definitely have talent.”

He jumps into the hut and pops his head out. With one paw he points the way to go, then gives you a wave. Guess he won’t be accompanying you anymore. You ignore your disappointment. “Thanks, Pup.” You wave back and continue on your way.

There’s another bridge that you have to cross. Despite it slightly swaying as you walk, it’s pretty sturdy. You decide not to look down though. And right on the other side is a rather large sign, reading “Welcome to Snowdin”. Next to the sign appears to be a small inn. You decide to go there first.

The inside has a simple lobby with stairs leading to the second floor. At the counter is a Rabbit Monster, sitting on a chair and reading through a romance novel. Besides her is a small rabbit child, quietly coloring on construction paper. When you approach the duo, she looks up, startled.

“Oh, hello!” She squeaks, blinking up at you.

“Uh, hi.” You look to the side, scratching at the back of your neck, “Sorry, I’m kinda new here, and…”

“You need a room, then?” She asks, whiskers twitching.

“Yeah, but I don’t have any-” You start, and she shakes her head.

“Um, I’m not supposed to do this, but we don’t usually have any guests anyway.” She slides a key towards you. “And to be honest, you look terrible. So get some rest, okay?” She beams at you.

“Thanks.” You duck your head and take the key.

The inn only has one small room, and it’s absolutely perfect. You close the door behind you and approach the one window it has. “Damn.” You whistle. The view is pretty nice. You can spot some Monsters ice skating in the distance. You take in the sight for a little while, then you close the curtains. 

Shrouded in darkness, you crawl onto the bed. The blankets are heavy and fur lined, and you find yourself curling up into a little ball underneath them. Without further ado, you fall asleep.

You don’t know how long you’ve been asleep, but you wake up to someone gently shaking your shoulders. Groggily, you open your eyes and spot the innkeeper looking down at you. She blushes and tugs at an ear.

“Sorry, but I was kind of worried. You slept away the day, the night, and most of this morning.” She explains. You stretch and yawn, jaw popping. “I got some cinnabon bunnies! Here, you can have one.” She pushes the pastry into your stunned hands.

“Thanks, but listen, you don’t have to give me free stuff.” You protest.

“It’s okay, really.” She reassures, “You must be from the Capital, right? That’s where the other skeletons came from, anyway. They weren’t used to how things are done here when they first moved here too. But, well, in Snowdin we like to make sure everyone feels welcome! So, don’t worry about it. If you really want to pay us back, do it whenever you can. No rush. Well, except right now. I gotta wash these sheets!” She tugs at your blanket for emphasis.

“Alright, alright. I’m up.” You surrender. Making your way downstairs, you wave at the child playing at the bottom of the stairs. They shyly wave back and dart behind the counter. Shrugging, you step outside.

“So, I went to Sans’ sentry station yesterday like Papyrus asked. Thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, right? So I leave my hot chocolate on the counter. I come back, like what? Half an hour later? And my drink was gone.” You pause at the inn’s entrance and look over to see two Dog Monsters walking side by side. They seem to be heading out of town. The one talking looks like a shepherd of some sort, wearing baggy pajama bottoms and a stained tank top. Besides him is a giant version of the dog from yesterday, again wearing armor.

The giant dog growls something and the shepherd rolls his eyes. “What do you mean chocolate is bad for us?! I have hot chocolate all the time, I have no idea what you’re talking about!” He argues. The giant dog snorts something incomprehensible. “Too bad for you, buddy. I digest it just fine!” The two disappear from view.

So that’s where the hot chocolate came from. Shrugging, you unwrap the cinnamon bunny and munch on it. From your spot at the doorway, you take a look around.

Just next door is a small shop. Most likely it has a little bit of everything, judging from the food displayed up front and the rack of coats at the window display. Further down is a large tree, decorated in Christmas lights. Presents decorated the bottom, to your amusement. On the surface, it’s barely October. Does this town celebrate early? Or is it always Christmas around here?

There are more buildings down that way, but you can’t make out what they are. You finish the pastry and decide to check it out. 

Turns out it's a restaurant. The smell of greasy food surrounds the building, almost beckoning you to come inside and have a look around. You resist the urge for now.

There are a couple of houses scattered here and there after the restaurant, and then you see what looks like a library. Though the sign for it confuses you at first.

“The sign…” You say to the monster standing by the side of the building. She looks like a lizard of some sort, yellow and short. In her hands is a cigarette, which looks smoked almost all the way down to the filter.

“Yeah, yeah.” She dismissively says, “We know it’s not spelled right. One of them skeleton brothers painted it just before the library opened. He was so proud of it that no one had the heart to fix it.” She then gives you a once over. “Hey, you aren’t a third brother or something are you?”

“Not all skeletons are related.” You shake your head.

“No offense meant. The library’s open right now if you want to look around. We got a few more books from the dump. Real interesting stuff.” She waves you off and resumes staring off into the distance.

Shrugging, you enter the library. It’s another smallish building, but the walls in the back are lined with old, but lovingly maintained books. Sitting at a table are two monsters, quietly arguing over a paper. Newspapers are scattered around them. They don’t even notice you when you walk around them and to the shelves. 

One book in particular catches your eye as you scan the titles. “The History of Monsters?” You mutter. A quick scan tells you that it discusses the war that happened a millenia ago. Sounds interesting- maybe the monsters down here know something about the war that the ones above don’t. Like how it freaking started. That’s a question that not even Impact had an answer for.

“Shhh!” 

“Sorry!” You hiss and climb the stairs to the second floor. Finding an isolated spot by a window, you settle down and open the book. “Jeez, this handwriting is terrible.”

The book is handwritten, with ink smudges everywhere. But you manage to make out a few passages here and there. The beginning details an incident that sparked the entire war:

_There was a time when humans and monsters were allies. A large group of them settled near the forests and the mountains and made a village there. They named this village after the human king at the time- Ebott. Working together, the village prospered._

_One day, a group of children were playing near the mountain. A human child fell and hit their head. The injury was severe, and the children did not know what to do. A monster child, desperate to save their friend, tried to use healing magic on the injury. But it was too late._

_The human child’s SOUL left the body, and the monster child accidentally touched it. This was the first ever recorded event of a Monster absorbing a Human SOUL._

_And this is what sparked humanity’s fear of their Monster allies. Days later, the Monsters of Ebott were massacred by their neighbors. The war begun._

Well. You clench your fists and take a deep breath. If this book is accurate… what a terrible way for a war to happen. Some humans sure love to resort to violence when they fear something. You shiver, remembering the look of pure hate on that human’s face right before he tried to hit you with that baseball bat. 

The rest of the book details what you already know, so you flip through it until you get to an entry about this so called “barrier” that is keeping everybody prisoner down here. You scan through the words, eyes widening when you connect the dots and realize just why the queen became so protective of Frisk.

King Asgore requires seven human souls to break this barrier. And he already has six. Slowly, you close the book, mind racing. 

Do all of the monsters down here know about this? Do they approve of these methods? To kill every human that may fall down here, for a chance at freedom? And can you really blame them? You have only been here for a few days, imagine being here all of your life!

Would you even be able to turn on Frisk, hell, any human, the way Asgore did to those other souls? Something inside of you feels sick at the thought. You groan and rest your forehead against your knees. 

You don’t want to think about this anymore. You really don’t. But your brain won’t shut up. Something potentially idiotic crosses your mind. If Frisk knows what’s going on, then why did they escape at least once, and then decide it will be just fine to jump down the hole again? And if seven souls are needed to even break this barrier in order for Frisk to escape, does this mean that Frisk’s soul was taken?

Does Frisk even have a SOUL right now?! You can feel yourself hyperventilating at the thought.

“Woah, woah! Are you okay?!” The lizard librarian is crouching in front of you now, little hands prying the book from your grasp. “Hey, don’t damage the merchandise! And, uh, snap out of it, please? I don’t know how to handle this kind of stuff!”

“I’m… I’m okay.” You gasp, trying to get that breathing thing under control. The librarian hovers over you, wringing her hands as you slowly recover.

“Good, good.” She sighs when you finally feel like you’re not about to die, “Listen, you need to get out of here. The library closed like an hour ago. I didn’t even know you were still here until I heard you freaking out!”

“Oh.” You stare down at the floor, “Sorry. I’ll get out of your hair.”

“Come back tomorrow if you want.” She says, “We’re pretty much open everyday. But next time try reading some of our comics. Those are a lot nicer than history.”

You don’t remember walking back to the inn. It was just a blur of buildings and snow. You guess there is something about the expression on your face that has everyone leaving you alone. Even the innkeeper gives you an uncertain look when you merely nod at her and trudge back up the stairs when she waves a greeting.

There’s melodic snoring coming from the room next to yours. Listening to it is sort of soothing, in a weird way. You even fall asleep to it. 

Luckily, you don’t dream of anything tonight.


	4. The Ketchup Bandit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus Titles: "Bones Learns the Importance of Not Jumping to Conclusions" and "Bones Needs to Learn Better Coping Skills"

When people think of house robberies, they usually picture some man with a ski mask breaking in through their windows in the middle of the night. You certainly have when you were a kid. But that’s certainly not the case. People are usually home in the middle of the night. Most thieves do not want to get caught, or have a violent encounter with their victims. So when do most home robberies occur? In the middle of the day.

You admit, it was a big mistake to break into that man’s house. School was out, people were heading home. You still don’t know if he remembers what your face looks like. The entire thing should’ve happened at like ten in the morning, a few hours after he headed to work. That’s what you get for timing everything too closely.

Now that you’re trapped underground, in a town where everyone knows your name, it’ll be even harder to sneak in and out of places without being seen. But you have a complicated relationship with boundaries. Basically, that you only have them when it’s convenient. And right now? The two of you are taking a little time to be away from each other.

Never mind that it’s also easier to keep your mind off of SOULs being stolen and possibly being trapped under a mountain for the rest of your life if you’re concentrating on stealing other people’s stuff.

So, you’ve been doing a few illegal things to pass the time. The general store had a great sale on face masks and other costume accessories (the innkeeper told you that there was a big costume party just a few weeks ago and her cousin overstocked in preparation), so you took advantage of the unusually crowded shop by grabbing a face mask, gloves, and a spare black sweater. You know, typical burgling attire. Too bad you didn’t take a close enough look at what you were getting. Even if it’s kind of heartwarming to know that some dweeb was embarrassed enough by his Guy Fawkes mask to throw it away on a mountain.

Anyway, the point of all this is? You are prepared this time. It is noon, you are properly disguised, and you snuck into this house without anyone noticing. Everything should be going off without a hitch. Except you are now hiding in one of the skeleton brother’s closet, listening in as Frisk flirts with said skeleton. You’ve never felt so awkward.

As far as you can tell, Frisk has been treating the whole thing like a playdate. This include reenacting battles with Papyrus’ action figures, jumping up and down on his racecar bed, and drinking chocolate milk. All the while Papyrus babbles on about how Frisk meets his standards and their love of spaghetti. And Frisk freaking flirts back. You try to keep yourself from hearing the entire dreadful thing, mostly by playing with the rubix cube you found in the closet.

“SO PLEASE… DON’T CRY BECAUSE I WON’T KISS YOU BECAUSE I DON’T EVEN HAVE LIPS.” You pause and almost drop the toy. What in the hell did you just miss? You nudge the closet door slightly open, glaring through the eye holes of your mask. The other skeleton’s back is to the closet, so he doesn’t see you. But Frisk does, and ends up covering their mouth.

Shit. The little bastard is laughing at you. Somehow the tall skeleton takes this as Frisk crying from rejection or whatever, because Papyrus places a gloved hand on the kid’s shoulder. “AND, HEY, SOMEDAY YOU’LL FIND SOMEONE AS GREAT AS ME.” Papyrus pauses. “WELL, NO THAT’S NOT TRUE. BUT I’LL HELP YOU SETTLE FOR SECOND BEST!” It’s good that Papyrus laughs at his little joke, because at this point you’re giggling like a loon. You scoot back into the closet, out of Frisk’s sight.

“AND, IF YOU EVER NEED TO REACH ME, HERE IS MY PHONE NUMBER. CALL ME ANYTIME. PLATONICALLY, OF COURSE!” Frisk hands their phone over and Papyrus types in it. 

“Thanks Papyrus. You’re a great friend!” Frisk brightly says. 

“YOU ARE MOST WELCOME, TINY HUMAN. NOW, I HAVE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO, SO…”

Frisk leaves, but not before smirking at the closet, and by extension, you. You flip them off. Smug little potentially SOUL-less shit. When he’s alone, Papyrus sighs and sits on his racecar bed, deep in thought. When he looks up, his brow furrows. Shit. Does he notice that the closet door is open? He gets up and approaches. Oh no. Please do not open the door, please don’t open the door…

A small ‘woofing’ sound reaches your ears. Slowly, you look down to see a small white dog looking up at you with beady little eyes. It wags its tail and then looks out towards where Papyrus is slowly approaching.

“Shut up.” You hiss at the dog, but it’s not listening. Instead it is lowering its front half to the ground, raising its rump in the air- the typical invitation to play that regular old dogs do. It’s going to charge the door and expose the both of you!

Just as the dog begins to leap, you lunge forward and try to grab it. Like a slippery eel, the dog immediately squirms out of your grasp and you fall forward. The closet door bangs open, and you yell, “DAMN IT!” as it escapes the room. Leaving you with a clearly shocked Papyrus. You really need to get better hobbies.

“UHH.” Papyrus stares down at you. You stare up at Papyrus. “CAN I… HELP YOU?”

Oh, good. He doesn’t know what to do either. So, like the well adjusted adult that you are, you bolt between his legs, scrambling to get up on your feet and out of the room. You ignore his surprised shout, and turn to the staircase to see the second brother, eyes black as night with an unfaltering grin on his face. Great. You pissed him off. 

Abruptly, you turn and run down the hall and try the second door. It’s locked, but with a pulse of magical energy you break the lock and run in. You vaguely hear Papyrus screaming, “SANS I THINK WE HAVE AN INTRUDER.” and an answering “guess so.” 

You trip over a treadmill and several piles of dirty clothes before making it to the only window in the room. Tugging it open doesn’t work- the lock appears jammed shut. You prepare another burst of magic and the glass shatters. You wince at the noise.

“hey, buddy, calm down a second there.” Sans is at the door, Papyrus looming over his shoulder with a look of panic on his face. 

You jump out of that window. As you fall, blue magic encases you, effectively stopping said descent midway. You hover there uncertainly, only to see Sans looking down at you from the window, one of his eyes glowing. Shit. You forgot that gravity manipulation is a skeleton thing. 

Desperate to escape, you summon a small bone and throw it at your would-be captor’s face. He didn’t expect that, ducking so that your weapon flies over his head. A resounding “OW!” tells you that Papyrus is hit instead. That’s enough for Sans to lose control of the hold he has on you, and you fall the rest of the way.

For once in your life you land on your feet. Not wanting to waste this burst of good luck, you take off. But not empty handed.

You left a small bag of your regular clothes by the dumpster behind Grillby’s. Swapping outfits is quick and easy, and you leave the mask in the garbage. This time, you swear, you are not going to do this shit ever again. Almost getting caught twice in the same week is akin to divine intervention in your eyes. Like whatever creator up there is busy rolling their eyes and saying “Hey, Dipshit, stop stealing!” Well, message received. For now.

If the brothers are still looking for you, then they are probably doing a sweep of the town. Being sentries, they know how these things work. The best thing to do is head back to the inn and lie low for a while. You’re just about to do that when Frisk appears out of freaking nowhere and grabs your hand.

“C’mon. They won’t look for you in Waterfall.” They say. Like an idiot, you follow them.

They know a lot more about Snowdin than you do, going through secret alleys and forgotten paths until the two of you are crossing a bridge. There’s a slight fog that makes it a bit harder to see, but Frisk just tightens their hold on you and trudges onward. Soon, the fog disperses and you find yourself in a much warmer, and humid, place.

“Where’ve you been, Frisk?” You ask when Frisk stops. You’re in a small area, empty of all monsters for now. “I thought you needed to escape the queen, and fast.”

“Yeah, funny that.” Frisk darkly says, “Turns out mothers are very overprotective when they think a member of the Royal Guard knows that she has a human child.”

“Yeah, about that.” You reply, “What in the hell, Frisk?! You do know these monsters are kinda after your SOUL?”

“I know. That’s old news.” Frisk shakes their head, “And I know how to avoid that. Anyway! Why the heck were you in Papyrus’ closet? Wearing that mask?!”

“Uhh…” You sweat.

“Did you seriously break into their house?” Frisk looks horrified. Like what you were doing isn’t normal or something. Okay, so it isn’t. But still, it’s kind of insulting.

“Were you seriously on a date with Papyrus?” You ask right back. “Isn’t he, like, I don’t know? Sixteen?”

“He’s twenty.” Frisk rolls their eyes, “I just can’t resist the charms of older men, don’t you know?”

“How old are you?!” Now it’s your turn to be horrified.

“I’m going to be eleven in a few months.” They shrug, “Don’t give me that look. I watch TV like all the other children my age.”

The two of you fall silent. You scratch the back of your skull and turn away from the kid, SOUL fluttering nervously. They seem like a normal enough kid. Still being mysterious as hell, but then again, until now there hasn’t been a chance for them to explain everything. Your hand slides down to rub at the vertebrae of your neck. Normally, the action would soothe you. Not now. All you can think about is that panic attack you had at the library. Maybe now is the time to find out once and for all...

“So, I think I can finally explain a bit about what’s going on.” Frisk starts, and you take a deep breath. Another bone appears in your hand. “Bones, what’re you doing?” They sound alarmed.

You turn to face them, but don’t dare to look at their face. “Before you explain anything, I need to check something.”

“I don’t think I like where this is going.” Their voice is all high pitched now. It’s almost cute. You take a step forward and they take a step back. You roll your eyes and finally grab Frisk by the collar of their sweater.

“Don’t be such a baby.” You mutter and tap the bone on Frisk’s head. 

You have your vices, but violence isn’t one of them. When there is a fight, you run for the hills. Any attacks you do are significantly reduced just by the fact that you’re so reluctant to hurt another being. So, instigating a fight is difficult at best. 

Lucky for you, it’s usually the intent that matters. So after that tap, Frisk’s SOUL erupts from their chest, a bright red color that immediately relieves you. “So you do have a SOUL.”

“Wait, what?!” Frisk says, jerking away from your grasp. The SOUL swirls in place, almost content with being out and about. “You had to check to see if I have one?! That… that is seriously messed up, Bones. I am kind of offended here!”

“Look, I was reading in the library the other day,” You explain, feeling your cheeks flush in embarrassment, “And it explained about how the king needs seven SOULs to break the barrier. And, considering all those cryptic clues and vague statements of ‘this time’ and ‘before’, I figured you’ve escaped before. But if you escaped, that means the barrier was broken, right? So wouldn’t that mean-”

“Oh my god.” Frisk breathes, “Bones, did you even think that little theory of yours through?!”

“What?” You defensively say.

“If Asgore has my SOUL,” Frisk continues, “Then NO ONE would be underground right now. The barrier would be broken! Everyone would be free, not just me!”

“Well, shit.” You say and just like that the fight is over. Frisk slumps their shoulders in relief. Their SOUL returns to its rightful place.

“Easiest fight ever.” They joke, but look away when you don’t smile. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”

“Eh.” You shrug.

“And I’m sorry that I can’t explain anything good enough.” They hang their head, “I’ve tried telling others before, but it never works out. They either don’t believe me, or think I’ve gone insane. So, I don’t really bother with explaining why I’m doing things anymore.”

“Can you try telling me?” You quietly ask.

“I don’t know.” They scrunch up their nose and toy with the sleeves of their sweater, “I mean, you didn’t even believe me when I said there was a barrier trapping everyone down here. How are you supposed to believe this?”

“I don’t have to believe in it for it to be true, right?” You smile as you echo their words back at them, "If anything, it’ll make you feel better. Get it out in the open.”

Frisk snorts. “Okay, let’s see. Down here, I have the power to reset time.” They pause and look up at you. You carefully keep a blank expression on your face. “It has limits, right? Like, I can only go as far back as a few days before I originally fell into the underground. And, sometimes, I do things differently both up there and down here. For example, I agreed to walk home with my classmates after school for the first time. The day I met you.”

“So that’s the first time you heard my little story.” You muse, and Frisk nods.

“It’s kind of sad, right? That there are beings down here, just forgotten?” Frisk’s lower lip trembles, and they wipe at their eyes.

“Yeah.” You cross your arms, but your face softens. “It really is.”

“I only broke the barrier once before,” Frisk continues, “And everyone was on the surface for like a few hours before I had to reset again.”

“Why?” 

“I have a… personal reason for it. One that I don’t want to talk about.” They shrug, “But, here’s something that you should be glad for- if I haven’t been at that cottage and took you here, you’d be dead.”

A chill goes up your spine. “They-” You sputter.

“You would have been that gang’s first murder victim.” They whisper, “So, sorry, not sorry?”

You wipe your forehead. “Well, thanks I guess?”

“Yeah.” Frisk nods, “So, I have a plan. A good one, i think. But it’s gonna take some time. In the meantime, please try not to get into too much trouble?”

“No promises.” You agree.

“I’m serious, Bones!” They whine, “I really like hanging out with Sans and Papyrus. It’s just going to be awkward if they find out it was you that broke into their home.”

You roll your eyes. “Ugh, fine. I’ll be good.”

"So, uh…did you actually take anything?” Frisk curiously asks.

You smirk and shrug. “Nothing important, really. They probably won’t even notice it’s gone- they had plenty in the fridge already…”

 

\---------------------------------------  
BONUS  
\---------------------------------------

“AND HERE I WAS, THINKING THAT SNOWDIN IS A SAFE, WHOLESOME PLACE TO LIVE.” Papyrus stomps into the kitchen and begins to aggressively cook. Sans shrugs from his position on the sofa.

“it’s not like he stole anything.” He comments.

“HE ROBBED ME OF MY SAFE SPACE. NOW WHENEVER I GO TO SLEEP I’LL HAVE TO CHECK IN THAT CLOSET.” Papyrus cries.

Sans chuckles, “so, it’ll be like that time you found that stuffed animal under your bed-”

“SHUT UP SANS.” Papyrus slams a large pot onto the stove.

“sorry, didn’t mean to rattle your bones, bro.”

Papyrus opens the fridge, ready to take out that box of spaghetti he left in there. He finds it just fine, but something seems off. He narrows his eyes and begins counting. Once he finishes his eyes bug out, and he slowly backs away from his ‘food museum’.

“you okay, pap?” Sans pokes his head over the couch, narrowing his eyes at the look on Papyrus’ face.

“YES, YES, EVERYTHING IS JUST PEACHY.” Papyrus dumps the spaghetti into the pot and begins to vigorously stir.

“not telling a fib, are you?” Sans asks.

“WHY WOULD I LIE ABOUT ANYTHING? REALLY SANS, THERE IS NO NEED TO BE SO CONCERNED.” 

“okay, now you have me worried.” Sans slowly makes his way to the kitchen. Papyrus continues his cooking, dumping almost a whole shaker full of glitter into the dish. His brother ignores this, however, in favor of looking into the still open fridge. The tall skeleton closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. There’s only silence as Sans takes the whole thing in.

“BROTHER, IT’LL BE OKAY.” Papyrus assures his brother, “I’M SURE THE GROCERY STORE STILL HAS A FEW BOTTLES IN STOCK.”

“that bastard.” Sans hisses. 

He took an unopened bottle of ketchup.


	5. You're Not Very Good at Not Getting Caught

Frisk leaves for… wherever soon after your conversation. You watch them go, torn between following them or doing as they ask and just keep a low profile. Self preservation wins (that kid is up to no good, you just know it) and you start heading back to Snowdin. You figure it would be very suspicious for the new skeleton in town to mysteriously disappear after someone breaks into a local sentry’s house. And it’s not like the brothers could tell that you were a skeleton underneath that mask, right?

“Yo, did you hear?!” An armless kid collides into you. Before you can do anything they fall back with a small “Oomph!” They appear unharmed, so you awkwardly stand there and watch as they get up with practiced ease.

“Hear what?” You ask. 

“Someone broke into a house!” They happily exclaim, eyes wide with excitement. “Dude, nothing this exciting ever happens around here! Maybe even Undyne will show up to bring them to justice! Wouldn’t that be so cool?!”

“Yeah.” An uneasy feeling stirs within you, “Awesome.”

“Hey, I’m going to stay a little outside town. Y’know, to keep an eye out for the criminal for Undyne. Don’t tell my parents, okay?” With a beaming smile they run off closer to Waterfall. 

You shake your head and sigh. According to town gossip, Undyne is the captain of the Royal Guard. A knight in shining armor that is sworn to protect the Monsters of the underground from the evil humans. You guess she isn’t above investigating a random break in too, if what Monster Kid was saying is any true.

“Bones!” This time you are a bit more prepared as you approach the inn. The innkeeper that has been housing you for the past few days jumps up and hugs you. Has she been waiting for you to come back? For how long? “Have you heard? Isn’t it terrible? Everyone is so worried- what if they target someone else?! I’m so glad you’re okay!”

So that’s what guilt feels like. “I’m… I’m sure it was just a one time thing.” You stammer as you give her a quick hug back and she lets you go. There’s a small, contemplative smile on her face that has you worried. “Monster Kid told me that Captain Undyne might be looking into it?”

“Well, she is good friends with Papyrus, and the criminal did break into his home.” Her whiskers twitch, “So that wouldn’t be a stretch. Aw, what's with that look? You don't like Undyne?”

“I FOUND THE CULPRIT’S FACE.” The two of you pause and stare as Papyrus suddenly appears, holding up the Guy Fawkes mask like a trophy. “IT APPEARS THAT THIS MONSTER HAS THE ABILITY TO SHED THEIR OUTER SHELL.”

“Is this guy for real?” You whisper and the innkeeper covers her muzzle with one hand as she bursts into a fit of giggles.

“THIS MUSTACHED MENACE WILL BE FOUND!” Papyrus declares. He whirls around and spots the two of you. You flinch back as he walks right up and thrusts the mask right in front of your face. “HELLO CITIZENS!” 

“Hello, Papyrus.” The innkeepers greets the taller skeleton. She gives you an amused glance when she sees that you have to look through the eyeholes to see Papyrus’ face. “So, you found evidence?”

“INDEED.” He proudly puffs out his chest, “HAVE EITHER OF YOU SEEN A MONSTER WITH THESE. EXACT. FEATURES?” He waves the mask and accidentally smacks you with it. 

“Can’t say that I have.” You quickly say, batting the plastic monstrosity away, and the innkeeper nods her head in agreement. Papyrus deflates in disappointment.

“WELL, PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU DO.” Papyrus hesitates, “SAY, ARE YOU NEW IN TOWN? I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THERE ARE OTHER SKELETONS HERE IN SNOWDIN.”

“Just arrived a few days ago.” You shrug, “Never got the chance to properly introduce myself.”

“WELL, I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS. IT’S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU… ER, WHAT IS YOUR NAME?”

“Call me Bones.” You say and Papyrus grabs at your hands, violently shaking them.

“I AM SURE IT IS ALSO VERY GREAT TO MEET ME.” Papyrus boasts, “I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THIS CRIMINAL OF OURS DOES NOT DIRTY YOUR IMPRESSION OF OUR TOWN.”

“Nah. One bad apple doesn’t spoil the entire tree.” You gently tug your hands away and tuck them into your pants pocket. 

“INDEED!” Papyrus exclaims, “NOW PLEASE EXCUSE ME, AS I NEED TO DRAW THE WANTED POSTERS. AND SET PUZZLES UP AROUND TOWN. IT’S GOING TO BE A BUSY DAY!”

When Papyrus leaves you turn to the innkeeper. “Puzzles?” You ask.

“Yeah, you know.” The innkeeper smiles, “Puzzles are kind of how things are done here. Hopefully Papyrus makes one tough enough to capture our wayward visitor. I’m sure they’ll be harshly punished.”

“Yeah. What you said.” You nervously chuckle when she gives you a knowing look.

“Mhm. So, you know, keep out of trouble.” She pats your cheek and strolls back into the inn, whistling. You stare after her, stunned. So she knows, or at least suspects, it was you then. You let out a frustrated groan and kick at a mound of snow. It ends up spraying everywhere, and a few kids that were playing nearby got hit by the flurry.

Of course this ends up in a snowball fight. Projectiles are immediately fired back at you, most right on target, and you duck for cover behind a tree. Childish giggling reaches your ears as the children find their own cover. Rolling your eyes, you crouch down and begin bunching snow up. 

Things are a blur after that. It’s all running, ducking, and throwing snowballs. A big old free for all that has you gasping for laughter as children try to bury you in the snow. You’re losing, of course- you’ve been losing since the entire thing started, but you don’t really care. 

Someone bellows a battlecry and surprise jumps you. You let out a shocked gasp, and the little rabbit on your back giggles and holds onto your shoulders. Sensing weakness, the others swarm from their hiding spots and surround you. 

“Now, wait just a second…” You try to invoke your authority as an adult, but they’re not having it. They show no mercy, like the harbingers of terror they are, and leap. Their combined enthusiasm is no match for you, and you helplessly collapse to the ground.

“Admit defeat!” One of the children exclaims before stuffing snow down your sweater.

“Okay, okay! I surrender!” You’re soaking wet, and snow is dribbling out of your skull when they finally let you sit up. In a practiced motion, you lightly tap the side of your head with an open palm, getting the excess out before it melts entirely.

“Ewww!” The kids stare in fascination, and you laugh.

“Does it hurt?” The rabbit, still clinging to your shoulders, asks. You realize it’s the innkeeper’s son.

“Nah, but I can get brain freeze if I leave the snow in too long.” You reply.

“That was fun!” He says. The children disperse, waving goodbye. You stand up, snorting when the child continues clinging.

“So, you beat me up, and now want me to piggyback you home?” You tease.

“Yes, please!”

“Fine.” You hike the kid up so that they’re more secure and tuck your arms underneath their thighs for support. That done, the two of you turn to head back inside.

“Oh man, I think that’s Papyrus staring at us.” The child suddenly whispers. 

You frown. “Oh?”

“Yeah, over by the sign.” They nod their head towards where they mean, and you turn yours slightly to take a glimpse. And, yeah, there he is. Awkwardly standing there with an unreadable expression on his face. Almost like he’s… unsure, or holding himself back. But the way he carried himself just a few hours ago, confident and kind of egotistical… 

“Maybe he wanted to join us?” You mutter and jostle the child a bit, making them giggle and hold on tighter.

“Most of the kids around here are kinda scared of him.” He explains as you open the door and step inside, “He keeps talking about how he’ll be the best royal guard ever, and how much he trains and all that. So he must be tough and serious all the time! It makes us… hesitate a bit, to invite him to play with us.”

“I’m sure he won’t mind.” You say, and smile when the innkeeper looks up from her spot at the counter.

“What in the world?” She raises an eyebrow at the two of you, “Bones, I told you to stay out of trouble! What happened to the two of you?! You know what- never mind! Give me that sweater, it’s soaked!” 

At the end of the day you’re sitting on her couch wrapped in a ton of blankets with a mug of hot chocolate while your clothes are drying. It’s a small apartment, with the entry being behind the inn’s counter. No wonder you never see the innkeeper walking home at the end of the day. Her kid is snoring on the floor, hind legs occasionally kicking. On the small television, some robot called Mettaton is reenacting Hamlet by playing all of the major parts himself.

As Mettaton wails to a copy of his own disembodied head, you sit back and contemplate your life choices. 

You admit to yourself that there's a problem here. You're being fed, have clothes on your back, and even a room to sleep in. What on earth possessed you today? Sure, some habits are hard to break, but breaking and entering shouldn't be one of them!

Perhaps, you chuckle darkly to yourself, it's a matter of trying to keep some family traditions alive. And here you thought you were a strong, independent skeleton paving his own way through life. 

You’re startled out of your thoughts when the innkeeper flops down on the couch besides you, squealing “Oh! I love this one!” The two of you watch in companionable silence. Every once in a while, though, you sneak a glance at the enraptured look on her face.

“Say, what is your name?” You suddenly ask, “I can’t believe I haven’t asked before.”

“Oh!” She waves a hand at you, “Don’t worry about that. I’m Mopsy.”

“Nice name.” You compliment her.

“Gee, thanks.” She laughs, “Give me a second, I think I should put Sweetpea here to bed.”

Her son stirs as she picks him up from the floor, a muttered protest on his lips. Mopsy just kisses his forehead and disappears from the living room. You sit there, twiddling your thumbs, gaze alternating between the television and where Mopsy left. Nervousness twists in your gut- the snowball fight earlier helped you forget about the whole ‘Papyrus is looking for the criminal and Mopsy may know it’s you that did it’ thing, but now it’s back on your mind. You have to talk to her about this, and see where to go from there. 

When she comes back, you sit up straight and say, “Listen, about what happened-”

“I won’t tell anyone.” Mopsy quietly says, “I don’t approve of what you did at all, but I won’t.”

“I’m sorry.” You slump back into the couch, “I could promise never to do it again, but knowing me…”

“Bones…” She sighs and rubs at her temples, “I like you. You’re a nice guy, even if I only met you a few days ago. But you basically admitted that you’ll do this again, and I don’t want my kid living in the same place with someone who’ll do that.”

“Yeah.” You close your eyes, “I figured.”

You hear a ringing sound and Mopsy gets up. “That’s your clothes.” She fetches them for you, and even turns around to let you get redressed. 

“Hey, I should call it a night.” You tug the sweater down over your torso. 

Mopsy turns once you’re decent. “Use the room one more night. You’ll have to figure out what you’re going to do tomorrow.”

“Thanks for letting me use your dryer.” You give her a wink. She sighs and lets you stroll out the door. Like usual, the inn’s lobby is empty and the stairs creak as you climb them. The door to your room opens with a slight push. Pressing a switch turns on the lights, and you blink a bit to get used to the sudden glare of light. You close the door and step towards the bed.

“so, you must be bones.” A low voice greets you from behind.

“Holy crap!” You yelp and whirl around. And right there, leaning against the door, is Sans.


	6. Sans Tries to be a Detective

You’re not the smartest person in the world. The past few days- hell, your entire life proves that. Never one for books, you ended up dropping out of school at the tender age of sixteen. Anything more complex than plugging in an electronic device confuses you. You can’t even concentrate on subjects like math or science. At least you had things like literature and history- those things were always interesting to you. Even after going homeless, you would go to the library just to read.

Physically, you are a tough one. Taking a hit or two, hell, ten even, barely phases you. You hate to think just how much hatred that gang of humans had for you, especially remembering Frisk’s little theory about you dying that night. How many hits would it have taken… but you shake away that thought. Point is, you’re tough, and you’re also pretty fast when you’re not tripping over things. So when it comes to getting out of dangerous situations, you like to rely on pure instinct rather than your head. 

It’s not your fault said instinct insists on trying to jump out of windows. Again.

“woah there!” Sans yelps, and suddenly he’s tackling you onto the bed. You land with a loud “Oomph!” and he scrambles to keep you pinned.

“LET GO!” You shriek.

“would you just stop?” He grunts when you knee him in the ribs. His eye flashes yellow and blue and suddenly your hands are pinned to the mattress by magic. “oh my god, you’ve got tibia the most pain in the ass thief in the underground.” 

You struggle against the magic encircling your wrists, but nothing budges. It seems the short skeleton has a lot of magical power, and with no other choice, you go limp. Sans sighs, as if in relief, and rolls over onto the floor. He wipes sweat off his brow and closes his eyes. Tense, you wait for him to, you don’t know, arrest you? Shake you down for money to replace the locks and window you broke? But several minutes pass and nothing happens. Not a peep from Sans- it just looks like he’s sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed.

“Umm…” You turn your head in an effort to get a better look at the other monster. “Hello? You okay there?” No answer. You’d be afraid that he’s hurt or something, if not for the gentle rise and fall of his sternum. His eye sockets are closed, though, and when you listen carefully, you can make out soft snoring. “Are you seriously asleep?!” You shriek again, and he jolts awake.

“what?” He blinks and lets out a long, drawn out yawn before focusing his attention back to you, “heh. sorry about that. long day, you know? i’m just bone-tired.”

“Can’t you just- lay off the magic crap?” You say, wiggling your fingers for emphasis.

Sans shakes his head, “and add another window to your rap sheet? nah.”

“How’d you even figure out it was me?” You ask, resigned.

“well, it wasn’t my fantastic investigating skills,” Sans says dryly, “you see, you kinda threw me a bone earlier today.”

“...” You stay silent.

“literally.” Sans helpfully adds, “and, well, considering you are the only skeleton besides me and my bro in town, it wasn’t hard to figure out.”

“Okay, so you got me.” You grumble, “Now what? Going to take me to Undyne? Jail?”

“nah. that’s way too much work.” Sans shrugs, “and all I really want is what you took from me.”

“Wait. What?”

“so where is it? you didn’t have enough time to sell it, or drink it…” Sans muses, “hey, you don’t drink ketchup, do you? that’s kind of my thing.”

“No. I don’t drink ketchup.” You resist the urge to roll your eyes, “It’s… it’s in the nightstand. Do you really drink-”

Well, there’s your answer. As soon as you revealed its location, Sans opened the drawer and takes the bottle out. With a practiced motion, he twists the cap off and immediately takes a long, drawn out sip. You gag.

“guess there’s no accounting for taste.” Sans comments.

“That’s not even Heinz!” You complain, “You’re drinking some off brand crap!”

“beggars can’t be choosers- especially down here.” Sans casually replaces the cap and puts the bottle in his jacket. “you should know that.”

“Ugh.” You tear your eyes away from his form and stare up at the off white ceiling. His eyes never leave you, however. There’s a weird sensation, like your bones are prickling- the feeling of being intensely stared at. You hate it.

“so.” There’s an inquisitive tone to his voice that makes you tense up all over again, “where you from, bones?”

“Uhh, around…” You meekly reply. Frisk has never directly said it, but you have the feeling that revealing where you are really from is a very bad idea. 

“around, huh?” He sounds amused, “never heard of the place. that somewhere near temmie village?”

“Oh, yeah. Just south of it.” You sarcastically reply, “If you pass that giant rock on the side of the road, you went too far.”

“mhm.” He taps you on the forehead and you flinch away, “jeez, i’m not here to hurt you.” He sounds almost offended.

You twist against your bonds, “Then can’t you just-” You freeze when someone knocks on your door. Who ever it is doesn’t wait for a response and opens it.

“Bones, listen, I-” Mopsy pokes her head in and her eyes widen at the sight before her.

“Mopsy, help!” You call out.

“this isn’t what it looks like.” Sans says at the same time.

“What? What does it look like?!” You demand, looking from Sans to Mopsy.

“Sans. What a pleasant surprise.” Mopsy says in a sickly sweet tone that has him sweating.

“hey there.” He mutters.

“Is there a reason you have my guest… like that?” She gestures at your prone form.

“just… questioning a suspect?” Sans tries.

“Wow. Not sleeping on the job? I’m impressed.” She thoughtfully hums, “Are you done yet? He needs his rest.”

“uh- sure.” He shoots you a look, but his magic releases your wrists. You sit up, rubbing the appendages. “we’ll ketchup later.” That said, he strolls past the rabbit, who scowls after him. 

Closing the door, Mopsy quietly sighs and turns to you. “Guess the skeleton’s out of the bag?” She asks.

“He didn’t arrest me. That’s a plus.” You say, staring at the floor.

“Getting arrested is usually something that happens for violent crimes.” She chuckles, “I was only teasing you earlier.”

“Oh.” You scratch the back of your neck, “That’s good I guess.”

“I have a feeling Sans just wanted to scare you. Haha, there’s that look on your face again! He must’ve gotten you good.” Mopsy giggles.

“Yeah, well, I’m glad you came in when you did. Thanks.” You give her a faint smile, “So, why did you come up here?”

“I feel like I was kind of harsh back there.” She smoothes her hands down her dress, “I mean, I don’t know you, really, or what kind of life you’ve had, or what you were going through before moving here- maybe you just don’t know any better, and need a couple of chances to change, and-”

You get up and gently grasp her shoulders to give her a little shake, “Nah.” You shake your head, “I’ve pretty much had countless chances my entire life and nothing’s changed. I’m just broken.” The innkeeper lets out a snort of disbelief and envelops you in a tight hug. In your shock, you don’t resist, letting her nuzzle her head underneath your chin. Jumping at the sensation of fur against bone, you wrap your arms around her waist and give a light squeeze.

“Can’t you just try to get your shit together?” She asks.

Your eyes dart to the bed, where, hidden in the sheets, is the phone you managed to snag from Sans just before he magically pinned you down. Nervously chuckling, you rasp out, “I’m not very good with promises, but sure. I can try.”

\---------------------------------------  
EXTRA EXTRA  
\---------------------------------------

It’s kind of late to make house calls, but Sans was never one to follow social norms. So as soon as he slinks out of the inn, he ducks behind an alley and shortcuts his way straight to Alphys’ place. Knowing the young royal scientist, she should still be up and about anyway. 

The lab is dark, save for the various computer screens scattered throughout the floor. Each one shows a different view of the Underground, including Snowdin. The short skeleton eyes the one pointing at his home, eyes darkening in disapproval before they flicker up towards the living area. 

He can make out a figure sitting up on a bed, staring at the screen of a television he knows is there. Within seconds he joins the figure, choosing to sit on a bean bag that’s perpendicular to the television.

“hey, alph.” He greets, and as he predicted, the royal scientist sputters in fright and falls over, clutching a stuffed animal to her chest.

“S-sans!” She yells once she spots him, “Don’t scare me like that!”

“heh. sorry.” He gives her a wink and she scowls.

“W-what d-do you want, a-anyway?” She sits back up, dusting crumbs over the labcoat she is wearing.

“nothing much.” Sans shrugs, “just need some intel on a monster that just moved into town. goes by the name ‘bones’.”

“Ummm…” Alphys nervously glances from Sans to the anime that is still playing on the television. She jumps when the device turns off, and she finally gives her full attention to the skeleton. “I… I hate it when you do that.” She mutters.

“c’mon, Alphys.” Sans says, “i know you must have something on him.”

“Y-you’re talking about the skeleton that c-came through the d-door to the R-ruins.” Alphys gulps. 

“what?” Sans’ eyes narrow.

“Heheh. Y-yeah.” She nervously gulps and takes out her phone, tapping at the screen a few times before handing it over. Sans takes it and curiously looks. Right there, on the screen, is Bones. He looks a bit frightened and anxious, banging on the door like that. Sans stares at it for a few moments before returning the device to Alphys.

“I-it looks like s-someone kicked him out.” Alphys supplies, “A- A little bit later, h-he’s given s-some food and that s-sweater he wears.”

“no shit.” Sans breathes.

“F-funny thing is, I l-looked through o-our census from l-last y-year.” Alphys stutters, “A-and I couldn’t find a-anyone m-matching this guy’s d-description. I-it’s like he never existed u-until now.”

“so, he was born and grew up in the ruins?” Sans asks. 

Alphys shakes her head, “I- I got curious.” She admits, ducking her head, “I asked a f-friend of m-mine’s cousin a-about him. T-they said they’ve n-never seen him before, and t-they h-hang a-around the Ruins all the t-time. S-so, you know…” She trails off and shrugs.

So, Sans reasons, this new skeleton gets kicked out the door. Then, a few days later, the human waltzes through like their butt is on fire. The monster is an unknown. The human, Frisk, he knows a little bit better, but he’s still cautious from the last time he had to help the kid come back to his senses. He idly traces the nonexistent scar across his sternum. That was one hell of a ride.

There’s a feeling right in his SOUL that says the two are connected. Some way, somehow, he’s going to get an explanation from at least one of them. He reaches into his jacket, intending to take his phone out to send a quick text to Frisk. They’re a bit off schedule this time around, according to his notes, but they should be in Waterfall now. 

“hmph.” Sans makes a discontented noise when his phone is nowhere to be found.

“E-everything okay?” Alphys asks.

“i must’ve left my phone at home.” Sans sighs, “i’m such a numbskull sometimes.”

“W-well, let me k-know if you n-need anything e-else.” Alphys tries smiling, but it looks more like a grimace.

“will do.” He gives her a salute and abruptly disappears.

Alphys sighs in the darkness, “H-he could’ve at least stayed for some t-tea.”


	7. There Are A Lot of Self Help Books in the Dump

The next morning you’re just lying in bed feeling sorry for yourself. Which, you know, isn’t a bad thing to do every once in a while. Your situation definitely has enough cause for a self-pity session. But you also know that the more you let this dark, heavy feeling seep into your bones, the more difficult it’ll be to put yourself back together again. You’ve fallen for that self induced trap exactly twice before in your life- when Impact died and when you escaped your last foster home, ending up on the streets.

Mopsy isn’t even kicking you out, you remind yourself. She is so disgustingly optimistic that you are capable of doing better, that she can help you get better- and is it so bad that some of that hope rubs off on you? On the surface, she would make a good social worker, or counselor. Maybe if Frisk pulls off whatever they’re planning, she’d get a chance at it. You should bring it up to her later, if… or maybe even when, everyone’s above ground again.

You grab Sans’ phone off the nightstand. It kind of surprises you that he didn’t come back for another visit- especially since he now knows that you’re a thief. Reminding yourself to return the device to him later, you turn the display on. The homescreen is unlocked with a simple swipe, and you’re greeted by the smiling faces of the brothers. They’re a lot younger than they are now, Sans wearing a labcoat and Papyrus in a superhero costume not unlike what he wears now. Judging by the plastic pumpkins they hold in their hands, the scene took place on Halloween. You chuckle and run a finger over their figures. They were kind of cute as kids.

A quick tap on the ‘contacts’ icon has you scrolling through an impressive list of names. It seems that the other skeleton is a rather popular guy. You pause when you see one name in particular, and bring the screen closer to your eye sockets. That’s Frisk’s number! 

You wonder if Frisk is okay. This could be your chance to catch up, see what they’ve been up to since yesterday. Maybe they’ll even give you an update on how that plan of theirs is doing. Without thinking about it further, you press the call button and press the phone gently against the side of your head.

Frisk picks up, but doesn’t speak. Instead, there is a sound of heavy breathing, as if they’re exhausted from a workout. Or maybe a pervert has their phone. You’re not quite sure.

“Frisk?” You cautiously ask.

“B-bones?” They whisper, “Why are you calling me on Sans’ phone?”

“I may have stolen it.” You say, which they reply with an annoyed groan, “Well, it’s not like I have a phone of my own to call you from.”

“Listen, I’m kind of in the middle of something.” They’re still whispering, as if someone else is there and they don’t want them to hear.

“Is everything okay?” You ask.

“Sure, sure. Everything is just fine.” They assure you, “Everything is going to plan, but I can’t keep her waiting. Undyne really doesn’t have enough patience for long phone calls…”

“Undyne? As in the captain?!” You shriek.

“Um yeah? We’re kind of in the middle of a fight right now. Well, she’s fighting. I’m running.” You can picture them nonchalantly shrugging.

“Frisk, does this little plan of yours involve dying? Because, while I haven’t met her in the flesh, I’ve heard enough to tell you- you’re going to die.” You inform the child.

There’s a long pause and you think they hung up on you until you hear them say, “Listen, Papyrus is calling me. I gotta take this.”

“Frisk, you little shit.” You hiss but they hang up. The door to your room immediately slams open afterwards, and you barely resist throwing your (Sans’) phone at the intruder. But it’s just Mopsy, and she’s lugging a pile of books in her arms.

“Good morning!” She brightly says, and dumps them all on you.

“Wha- What is all this?” You pick up one book and squint at the title, “How to overcome your obsessions and compulsions?” You pick up another. “Kleptomania, the compulsion to steal… Where in the hell did you find these?!”

“At the dump. There were a ton of these self help books that the humans threw down there.” She looks satisfied with herself.

“The dump?”

“Yeah! You can find all sorts of things there. So, I’m thinking you can read through them, right?” She bounces on her feet, “And, like, try to practice what they preach?”

You’re both embarrassed and pleased that the rabbit went through all this trouble to help you, but you’re also overwhelmed by the large pile of books that now take up the majority of your bed. How in the world does she expect you to go through all of these? If Mopsy notices the conflicted emotions on your face, she doesn’t comment. So you clear your throat and mumble, “Thanks. I’ll… look through them.”

“That’s good. As long as you’re trying to become a better monster, you can stay here.” She clasps her hands together, “Deal?”

You snort, “Alright. Deal.” That snort turns into outright laughter when she insists on shaking on it.

Sweetpea is downstairs by the entrance, hopping on one foot as he pulls boots on the other. He looks up as you descend the stairs, a sweet smile on his face. You give him a little wave and head towards the counter where the coffee is. As you pour some into a little styrofoam cup, he hops over and jumps on the counter next to you. 

Swinging his legs, Sweetpea asks, “What’re you gonna do today?”

“Hmm…” You think about it. “Probably the dump.” If Mopsy found so many books there, it should be interesting to check out. Hell, maybe you can find something valuable enough to barter with. 

“Oh man.” His ears droop, “Mom says I’m not allowed to go over there without her. It’s too dangerous for little kids. I wanted to hang out with you today!”

“Next time, little man.” You ruffle the fur on his head until he’s scowling. After that, you head out the door, coffee in one hand, and start walking.

“Mornin’ Bones.” Doggo grumbles, nose twitching as he strolls by. Probably heading to his post. You give him a wave. Other members of the canine unit greet you as well, already used to your presence in their town. 

“Heading somewhere?” A scruffy mouse monster curiously asks as you pass by the town center.

You pause, “Yeah. Just to the dump.”

He nods, “Yeah. Hope you get good pickings. Hey! You do know if you ask the river person, you can get a ride there, right? A lot faster than hoofing it.”

“Oh. Right. Umm…” You look around, “And where might they be?” The mouse smirks and gives you directions. 

A few of the other monsters in town greet you on your way. It’s starting to feel familiar, like you’re back in Ebott. Everyone knew you there, even if it’s just as that ‘skeleton kid that lives on the streets’. Just accepting you like you’ve always been one of them- It’s both comforting and worrying, you realize. Because, even if no one else knows it, you know that you don’t belong here. It’s depressing, and no one can really empathize with that. Not even Frisk, who just seems so damn comfortable being down here, and shit, you’re beginning to feel itchy again. You begin walking faster.

Just before reaching the river person’s stop, a yellow flower springs up from the ground. You stop in your tracks and stare. There’s no mistaking that grin on its face for any other. It’s Flowey. You don’t have time for this, so you turn around and begin walking in the opposite direction.

“Hey!” Flowey yells after you. A split second later he erupts from the ground right in front of you, petals bristling like an irritated cat’s. “I want to speak with you!”

“Why?” You ask, brow furrowing in confusion.

“Because Frisk is being so stupid and there’s a small chance that you won’t be!” Flowey snaps at you, frowning, “They won’t answer any of my questions about you. How rude!”

“Well,” You shrug, “It is rude to gossip behind other people’s backs.”

“You’re from the surface aren’t you.” They accuse. You stiffen and avert your gaze. “Oh my god. It’s true! So, what, all this time, even Monsters don’t want to free their own kind?!” They cackle, looking very amused.

“It’s not that at all.” You quietly reply.

“Oh? Then what is it?” Flowey taunts, “Is the surface still so shitty that Frisk just wants to endlessly reset? Just to escape reality?” At the look on your face, he laughs, “Oh, yes. I know they told you about that.”

“I have no idea why Frisk is doing this.” You helplessly reply, “I mean, the surface has its problems, but everything’s pretty peaceful.”

“Then WHY,” Flowey’s face flashes between the normal, somewhat innocent visage and a demonic one that has you shrinking back from the small thing, “DO THEY INSIST ON DRAGGING ME THROUGH THIS HELL OVER AND OVER AGAIN?” 

“How many times did this happen?” You ask, and Flowey pauses.

Petals drooping, he grumbles, “I’ve lost count. It’s not like they always get to the end anyway- sometimes Frisk just resets right in the middle.”

“That must suck.” You comment and Flowey draws in an irritated breath.

“I don’t need your pity.” He pouts, “What I need is for this to be done, and to be left alone. But Frisk doesn’t understand that, oh no! They don’t realize that happy endings are just another lie.”

“Did you really just show up to rant at me?” You ask.

“What I want…” Flowey smiles, but it’s not a pleasant one, “Is for you to know just what that little human is capable of. You think they’re irritating now? Hah! You’ve never seen them coated with dust.”

“I… What?” You clench your fists, “I don’t think Frisk would hurt anyone.”

“You can ask the smiley trashbag if you want.” Flowey singsongs, “He doesn’t remember a whole lot of the finer details, but he does remember that one time Frisk slaughtered their way through the underground.”

“No way.” You whisper.

“And, really, all it takes is once.” Flowey makes a shrugging motion with his leaves, “Sure, the timeline can be erased, like it never. Really. Happened. But it did. They remember it. I remember it. And now, you know it. And that knowledge can never. Be. Forgotten.” He sticks a tongue out at you, “Or maybe you will forget. Who knows with you surface dwellers?”

“Leave me alone.” You weakly demand.

“How long until Frisk gets curious again?” Flowey continues like he didn’t hear you, “Well, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you, Bones. Have a pleasant day now!” And once again, the flower burrows into the ground and disappears. 

You stand still, staring at the mound of dirt that Flowey left behind. It slowly fills with snow again, and soon enough looks like nothing was ever there. Is that what resets were like? If Frisk ever resets again… you really don’t like the idea of your life being messed with like this. Taking Sans’ phone out again, you redial Frisk’s number. It rings until you get to voicemail, so you hang up and don’t bother trying again. If the flower said anything truthful, you'll just have to confront Frisk later about it. What could go wrong, right?

“Tra la la. Would you like a ride on my boat?” A soft voice calls out to you. Turning, you see a cloaked figure standing at the head of a small boat. Must be the river person.

“Uh, yeah.” You mutter and approach. They patiently wait as you awkwardly climb in and sit on the offered bench. Without further ado, the boat moves. 

A few minutes pass. You’re staring at the water, occasionally catching glimpses of the scenery around you reflected in it. When you’re pretty sure you’re near the dump, the river person speaks again, “You should probably return that.”

“Hm?” You ask, startled, but they don’t respond. The boat slows and finally stops. 

“Tra la la… Have a pleasant day!” 

You don’t bother replying. Instead you opt for venturing further into the dump- which is aptly named. Mounds of garbage everywhere, from old clothing to rotting fruit. Very reluctant to actually reach into the piles of discarded trash, you decide to ‘window-shop’ for a bit. 

“Woah… that looks familiar.” Sitting right on top of a particularly large pile, is a brown, patched up duffel bag. A bit unnerved, you approach, squinting up at it. It definitely looks like your old bag, but you left it at the cottage right before Frisk dragged you down here. How on earth did it get here?

...On second thought, it’s kind of obvious isn’t it? Sure, the humans didn’t succeed in dusting you, but that doesn’t mean they left your things alone. No doubt they ransacked your little ‘home’ and threw away all traces of your existence. Dumping everything on the very mountain you disappeared into was probably icing on the cake for the assholes.

Well, it’s here now. Might as well get it. Without a second thought, you start climbing that garbage pile. It’s easy enough- there’s enough heavy garbage that nothing really budges when you put your weight on it. When you finally make it to your bag, you have to restrain yourself from doing a victory cheer. Instead, you grab your bag. It’s a little heavier than you remember, but you swing it over your shoulder just fine. 

Okay, now time to go down. Slowly, you begin to shimmy vaguely downwards. It’s going to take a lot longer than the climb up, but better safe than sorry. You tend to panic when in a tight spot, and sure, your magic saved you a lot since falling down here, but that’s a far cry from past experiences. Instinctual magic is unpredictable at best.

Your foot finds a stable hold below, so you lower yourself further. A hand grips the drawer of a wooden dresser, the other reaches for another- but then the drawer slides open. “Shit!” You yelp and grab at another piece of garbage. This turns out to be a mistake, as you end up grabbing a stuffed animal, and whoops the drawer slides free from the dresser and there you go. Falling. Again. 

Just your luck.


	8. A Knight In Shining Armor

Your magic doesn’t save you this time. Instead, it’s a blur of red and blue that runs right underneath your flailing body, arms stretched up as if to catch you. With a soft “Oomph!” you land in their arms. 

“You alright, punk?!” A loud, boisterous voice erupts into your ear canals and you wince.

“I… think so?” You manage to reply, and you blush once you’re aware that this person is carrying you bridal style. “You can put me down.”

“That’s the spirit!” Without warning, she drops you to the ground. There’s a loud chuckle when you fail to land on your feet. “Thought you said I could put you down?”

“Ugh.” You shake your head and look up, “Well, thanks for the help-” Pausing, you take in the sight before you. Standing tall, with her arms crossed and wearing a full suit of armor, is a blue fish monster. She grins, showing off her pointy teeth as you continue to stare.

“You didn’t crack your skull, did ya?” She asks.

“Uh- no, no!” You hastily reply, “I was just… admiring your eye patch?”

“Yeah, it’s so cool, isn’t it?!” She boasts, “So, what were you doing all the way up there? You could’ve broken a bone, ya’know?!”

“I found… a bag.” You look around. Where did it go?

“Oh, that shitty looking thing? It went over there.” She points.

You climb to your feet and head towards that direction. The other monster follows. As you bend over to pick it back up, a gleaming wooden case catches your eye.

“Hmm…” You make a grab at it and pull it out of the trash heap it was stuck in. Garbage spills from the pile, and Undyne makes an aggravated sound before pulling you away from it.

“You have a death wish or something?!” She demands, and you shrug.

“Sorry.” You set the case down and unclasp it.

“What’s in it?!” 

You let out a low whistle. “I can’t believe someone threw this away.” Their loss, you guess. Because resting in its case, is a rather decent looking violin. Now, you’re not an expert, but you do know how to play. As a matter of fact, you used to play all the time before you lost the one Impact made you.

“Hah! You won’t believe how much cool shit humans like to throw out!” She cackles, “That’s how I found my piano.”

“A piano?” You ask in shock, and she nods.

“Yeah. Hey, wanna come back to my place and check it out? I never played with someone else before, and you can try this baby out!” She gestures to the instrument, then looks embarrassed when you just keep staring at her. “WHAT?!”

“Do you always invite strangers back to your place, or am I just special?” You ask, raising an eyebrow ridge. 

“NGAH! If you want to know the truth, PUNK, I don’t want to leave you alone here. From what I’ve seen, you’ll just end up HURTING YOURSELF.” She sounds frustrated, but when you look closely at her face, there’s something else. There’s worry, confusion, and a tiny bit (okay a lot of) pent up anger. It’s not really about you. It’s about having some company to distract her from whatever’s really bugging her. This is a feeling you know all too well. Who are you to not help out?

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” You nervously agree, and the other monster grins in relief, “My name’s Bones, by the way.”

“HAH! Seriously?!” She laughs and you shut the case. “Your parents aren’t very creative, are they?”

“They were freaking geniuses.” You roll your eyes.

“I’m Undyne, by the way!” She grabs your hand and violently shakes it. You can only gape up at her in shock. This is Captain Undyne? The one Frisk was running from earlier? Your eye sockets narrow. 

“Hey! What’s that look for?!” She demands, and you shrug. It doesn’t look like she has a human SOUL on her. Frisk is safe for now. Sooner or later you’ll run into them again and get to demand more answers. Hell, maybe you’ll actually get one for once.

Undyne leads you away from the garbage dump (after grabbing the violin case and duffel bag, claiming she didn’t trust you carrying them all the way to her house without somehow killing yourself), and wow, maybe you should just move to Waterfall. Without the mounds of garbage obstructing the view, the place is absolutely gorgeous despite the high humidity. Everything is a little bit wet, but also alive.

Blue flowers wave from a nonexistent breeze, the walls shimmer a blue color that you can’t remember seeing on the surface, and the river rushes through the middle of it all. There’s a mossy smell in the air that you barely notice. It’s so unlike Snowdin despite being right next to it.

But you’ve grown fond of the lively town. Sure, the cold bothers you sometimes, but there’s something about a place that likes to celebrate “Gryftmas” throughout the entire year. As your mind wanders, your foot slips and Undyne ends up grabbing your elbow to steady you. 

“You’re kind of clumsy, you know that?” She grumps at you but you ignore it.

“Hold on a sec.” The humidity is kind of getting to you, so you pull the sweater off and wrap it around your waist. This leaves you with the plain, worn out shirt you’ve been wearing for years. 

“I thought you guys couldn’t feel the weather?” Undyne sounds mystified, but continues walking once you’re ready.

“Who told you that?” You ask.

“Well, my sentries…” Undyne trails off, “As a matter of fact, Sans once told me that the cold just goes through them… AH!”

“What?” You nervously take a step back at the angry look on her face.

“Freaking Sans and his freaking PUNS!” Undyne bursts out.

You burst out laughing, “He does that a lot?”

“Is it a skeleton thing?! Because even PAPYRUS does it sometimes! I can forgive him, though.”

“But not Sans?” You tease, and her face darkens.

“Never.”

There’s a pause in conversation as the two of you enter a small neighborhood. A ghost looks up and spots the two of you, vanishing when you make eye contact. Undyne shrugs at you when you point it out, only commenting that, “Yeah, he’s really shy.” Then she opens the door to a house that is shaped like a fish’s head and pushes you inside. 

Slamming the door with a sigh, she points to a large table and says, “Wait here a sec!” She disappears into what you can assume is her bedroom. Probably to change out of her armor. That may take a while, and you find yourself fidgeting in the middle of the large, open room that makes up most of her house. 

A grand piano is sitting in one corner, and a brief glance at it tells you that it’s well cared for, but also well used. Undyne must really like playing. You give the instrument a brief pat and then wander to the kitchen. Like any nosey guest (who are you kidding, this is just another one of your bad habits rearing its ugly head), you begin opening drawers and poking around. Nothing interesting, except for one drawer in particular that is filled to the brim with bones. The fridge also proves interesting, if only for the fact that it’s blasting heat rather than cold.

You are not compelled to take anything here. That’s a good thing, you figure. A nice first step on the road to recovery! Eventually you wander back to your old duffel bag and the violin case, resting just by the door. You carefully take the instrument back out. 

In the light, it looks worn, but not broken. The strings are still attached and strong. You fiddle with it, recalling fond memories. The smell of a campfire. The taste of burnt corn on the cob on a conjured tongue. And Impact, sitting there on a log, fiddle on his lap as he rants about something or the other. Probably politics. 

Without even realizing it, you position the violin against your chin and draw the bow across the strings. This results in a high pitched sound that has you chuckling. What should you play, you wonder. Thinking back, you can remember a variety of songs, all of which from your ancestors. Nomadic skeletons had little to entertain themselves, but songs were one of them.

So you begin playing an old tune. From what Impact once told you, it’s a song about the rising sun. Slow and sleepy at first, the tempo is supposed to pick up the longer you play. 

...You’ve forgotten that you missed this.

Soon, a piano joins in and you have to open the eye sockets that you didn’t notice were closed. Sitting on the piano bench is Undyne, brilliant red hair tied back into a ponytail and wearing a tanktop and pants and her hands are on the keys. You bite back a grin, and start going faster.

Undyne matches your pace. There’s a gleam in her eye that tells you she’s taking this as a challenge. Sure, why not?

You’re not sure how long the two of you play, but it’s interrupted much too early by several loud knocks on the door. You pause and look over at Undyne, who shrugs. “I wasn’t expecting anybody. Hold on, I have to take this. Might be guard business.” 

Slamming the door open, she exclaims, “Papyrus! What’re you doing here, NERD?!”

“I AM HERE FOR MY TRAINING, OF COURSE.” Was the tall skeleton’s reply, “AND LOOK, I BROUGHT A FRIEND!”

You try to sneakily take a peek at who Papyrus brought, but Undyne gives you a look that has you backing away. “Wow, you made a friend, Papyrus? Well, let me take a look at them! Any friend of Papyrus is a friend of-” She stops short, shoulders straightening and her entire body going stiff. “Why. Don’t. You. Come. In?” She steps aside, and you finally see what has her so upset.

There’s Papyrus, looking all kinds of guilty and nervous. And right next to him is Frisk. You can tell when they see you too, because their smug, all knowing face quickly turns into that of regret.

“I BROUGHT THEM OVER SO THAT WE CAN ALL HANG OUT AND BE. FRIENDS?” Papyrus pauses when he spots you, “OH, HELLO BONES.”

“Hey Papyrus.” You reply.

“WELL. THIS IS AWKWARD.”

“How dare you bring this punk human here! NGAAAH!” She punches the air, “If you all weren’t my guests, I’d PUNCH ALL OF YOU.”

“Except me.” You pipe up.

“Shut up!” Undyne replies.

“UNDYNE, EX-NAY ON THE HUMAN-AY!” Papyrus tries to whisper while cocking his head at you. Frisk turns around to hide his shameful laughter. 

“Your pig latin is terrible.” You comment.

“WHAT’S PIG LATIN?”

“ENOUGH!” Undyne bursts out. As sneakily as you can, you begin packing up your violin. Papyrus switches between watching you and watching Undyne. He’s beginning to sweat. “I don’t have the time for this!”

“I SEE.” Papyrus looks disappointed, and Undyne flinches at the sight. You finish with your bags and pick them up. “I GUESS NOT EVEN THE GREAT CAPTAIN UNDYNE IS UP TO THE CHALLENGE…”

“What?!” Undyne hisses.

“WELL, I GUESS IT IS RATHER DIFFICULT TO BEFRIEND A HUMAN CHILD.” Papyrus shuffles his feet, looking far too innocent for his own good.

Undyne laughs. “Oh, you think so, huh?! Well, I’ll show you! Me and this human here?!” She points threateningly at Frisk, “We’re gonna be BESTIES!” Wow. You didn’t realize reverse psychology works on anybody but children.

You begin to walk out the door. Papyrus grabs your arm before you can escape. “I SEE. WELL THEN, DON’T LET US KEEP YOU!” The door slams behind the two of you. “THAT WENT WELL.”

“What was that.” You wonder. Papyrus pulls at your arm until you’re facing him. There’s a weird, solemn look on his face.

“I MUST ASK YOU, SKELETON TO SKELETON.” Papyrus looks nervous again, “THAT YOU DON’T BREATHE A WORD ABOUT THE HUMAN TO ANYBODY. YOU SEE, THEY ARE MY… FRIEND.” He sounds that word out like he’s never used it before. 

“Okay.” You agree.

“YOU AGREE. J-JUST LIKE THAT? WOWIE, I MUST BE THE BEST PERSUADER EVER!” He pumps his fist up in victory, taking your arm with him. You end up dangling a few feet in the air.

“Yup. Can you let me down please?” Papyrus gently lowers you and releases his grip. You rub your arm, half expecting to see indentions in your bone. 

“WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT UNDYNE’S HOUSE ANYWAY? I DIDN’T KNOW SHE KNEW YOU!” The taller skeleton follows as you start walking.

“We ran into each other at the dump.” You reply, not wanting to mention how she pretty much grabbed you in midair, “And I found this violin. I guess she wanted to play music with me?”

“THAT WAS YOU?” Papyrus’ eyes sparkle, “THE TWO OF YOU SOUNDED AMAZING! IT DOES MAKE ME WONDER THOUGH.”

“Hm?” You encourage, stopping at a fork in the road. Papyrus nudges you towards one direction and you go that way.

“WELL, IF YOU ARE SO GOOD AT MAKING MUSIC, WHY NOT MAKE GOLD THAT WAY INSTEAD OF BREAKING AND ENTERING?”

Oh. Ooooh. Of course he would know too. You rub the bridge of your nasal cavity and sigh. “That’s… a loaded question.”

“IT WAS ALSO HYPOTHETICAL.” Papyrus pats your shoulder, “I AM SURE YOU HAD YOUR REASONS. EVEN IF THEY AREN’T VERY GOOD ONES.”

“Everyone down here is too damn nice.” You mutter.

“HOW ELSE SHOULD WE BE?” And he sounds so puzzled about it too. “THE PEOPLE OF SNOWDIN THINK VERY FONDLY OF YOU, AND YOU ONLY ARRIVED A FEW DAYS AGO!”

“I know.” You say, exasperated.

“SO, OF COURSE WHEN WE REALIZED YOU WERE THE CULPRIT-”

“Everyone knows?!” You stop and Papyrus collides into your back.

“THAT’S BESIDES THE POINT!” Papyrus dismisses your concern with a wave of his gloved hand, “THERE WAS A VOTE, AND IT WAS AGREED THAT WE KEEP A VIGILANT EYE ON YOU, AND LEAD YOU TOWARDS THE PATH OF THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW!”

You remember the earlier conversation with Undyne about skeleton puns, and can’t help but snicker, “You mean the straight and marrow?”

“NO. I DID NOT.” Papyrus sternly says, “THOUGH IF YOU WANT TO GET ON MY BROTHER’S GOOD SIDE, THAT IS ONE WAY TO DO IT.”

Somehow Papyrus convinces you that it isn’t a good idea to run away to the Capital and change your name, and yes you should come back to Snowdin. No, no one is judging you, they’re just concerned. Please stop trying to run away.

He lingers at the inn long enough for you to drop off your things, and then proceeds to drag you back to his home. “Ah, back at the scene of the crime.” You comment, and Papyrus gives you a dirty look. He directs you to the couch and sets out to the kitchen. Judging by the banging sounds, he is making dinner. A couple of minutes later, Sans strolls in.

“hey.” He greets in a way that sounds like it’s perfectly normal to find you on his couch.

“Hi.” You awkwardly reply, and he sits besides you. “Oh!” You remember and reach into your pockets. Sans watches as you pull his phone out and toss it on his lap. 

There’s an unreadable expression on his face. You hope it’s gratitude. 

One melted pot later, Undyne bursts into the brothers’ home, looking slightly burnt. You stare, horrified as she shakes soot off her clothes.

“UNDYNE, PLEASE DO NOT DIRTY THE RUG!” Papyrus calls out from the kitchen.

“‘sup, bass?”

“I solidified my friendship with the human!” Undyne says proudly, “And I also burnt my house down!”

“AGAIN?!” Papyrus shouts.

“So if it’s cool with you guys I’ll hang out here until the flames die down.” Undyne spots you, “Oh, hey dork!”

Together, the four of you eat mushy spaghetti noodles and watch the old VHS tapes of Gundam Wing Undyne brought over. To your surprise, this is the most content you’ve been in years.

You hope it lasts.


	9. Dropping Eaves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter than usual. Work is kicking my ass yo.

He hasn’t been here since the old lady made him promise to protect the kid. Some part of him thinks he should be sorry for leaving her alone for so long, but then again, he’s left her alone for longer before. Theirs is a comradeship of convenience for now. Maybe, if the kid somehow finds it in their heart to free them again, he’ll be able to become a better friend to Toriel. As of right now, however, he can not muster up the energy. Everything is just so… tiring.

The only reason he’s not just going through the motions for the hundredth time in a row (okay, he’s exaggerating, but the notes in his shed count a lot of resets) is because of your arrival. As far as everything is concerned, you should not even exist. And, sure, maybe you’ve somehow escaped the yearly census, or stayed in the ruins until you were kicked out… but he doubts it. 

Sighing, Sans pulls out his phone. The screen is still on his ‘recent call’ list, and right there at the top is the kid’s name- Frisk. For whatever reason, you called them. He wants to- has to know why. You’re a new character to this little play of theirs. This could be a good thing, but he also knows this could be a very bad thing. And it’s so frustrating, to not know things. He’s forgotten how much he hates that feeling.

Frisk is still not talking to him. Or to anybody, really. Makes it hard to question them when he knows he won’t be getting any answers. It kind of hurts too, especially when they refuse to meet his eyes. But guilt is a strange thing, Sans supposes. He forgave Frisk a long time ago (holding a grudge is way too much work and the kid hasn’t hurt anyone since that one run), but it seems they haven’t forgiven themselves. 

As for you… well, Sans doesn’t know what to make of you. On the surface (heh) you are a bumbling thief with a good heart. The way you interact with kids, and his brother- You’re not a threat. The rabbit family seems to have adopted you, oddly enough. Something’s holding him back from getting closer to you, though. An instinct that has served him well all his life. 

A soft voice calls through the door, tired but in good spirits, “Knock knock.”

His grin softens. “who’s there?”

“Little old lady.”

“little old lady who?” He’s already chuckling.

“My! I didn’t know you could yodel.” Toriel snickers, but grows silent soon after. Usually, Sans would come up with something or the other to keep the ball rolling, but he’s just not up for it. Luckily for him, Toriel isn’t either. “How is the human?”

“eh, the kiddo’s fine. making friends left and right.” Sans closes his eyes and leans against the door.

“And… there are no suspicious monsters trailing after them?” Toriel asks.

“haven’t seen any.” Sans clears his throat, “is… is there a reason you’re asking me that?”

“I am worried, my friend. I was not the first monster the human encountered.” Toriel sounds upset, “While doing my daily rounds, I came across the human and another monster… and he was being rather aggressive.”

“was this monster a skeleton?” Sans asks, eyes snapping open.

“Yes. It was rather odd, to say the least. There are no skeleton monsters that live in the ruins. And this is the only entrance. How did he even get in? I’ve been troubled about it ever since.” Toriel’s voice trembles, “I fear he was part of the royal guard, patrolling for humans. Disturbing the peace here. I… escorted him out.”

“if it makes you feel any better, i don’t think he’s part of the guard.” He reassures Toriel.

“How can you be so certain?” She sounds more hopeful now. Stars, how can she trust Sans’ word so easily? 

“i met him. seems more bone trousled than anything else. not gonna tell a fibula, he’s a bit of a bonehead. he’s easily rattled, doesn’t have the guts to harm anybody, let alone a kid.” Sans lets loose with the skeleton puns, only relaxing when he hears Toriel giggle in response. “what? i’m trying tibia honest here.”

“Thank you.” She says.

There isn’t anything else for them to discuss, so Sans leaves soon after. At least now, he muses, he knows that you definitely don’t fit in anywhere. Sort of like that prank jigsaw puzzle he once made for Papyrus- the one with an extra piece. His brother agonized over the damn thing for nearly a month before he glued the piece right on the side of the completed puzzle, where it was “MOST AESTHETICALLY PLEASING”. Sans is pretty sure Papyrus just didn’t want the stray piece to feel left out. He’s cool like that. 

And that’s exactly what you are, isn’t it? Nothing more than an extra puzzle piece. You don’t necessarily fit in anywhere, but somehow you’re making a place for yourself anyway. Maybe, Sans muses to himself, he’s so desperate for any signs that point to a way to stop these damn resets that any change has him salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Maybe he needs to cool down a little, let Alphys breathe, stop and smell the echo flowers-

“Frisk, if you wanted to talk to me you could’ve just knocked on the door.” Your voice reaches Sans’ ears and he ducks behind a tree. “Instead of leaving me a ‘mysterious’ note taped on my forehead.”

“You were sleeping pretty soundly.” Sans’ SOUL leaps when he hears Frisk speaking for the first time in quite a while. He chances a glance, and spots the two of you facing each other. You, with your arms folded and hands tucking into the opposing sleeves of your sweater. And Frisk- they’re just standing there with their arms by their sides, a teasing grin on their lips. “I thought you needed the rest.”

“Look, I’ve had a pretty eventful couple of days.” You inform the child, “And the more I hear from you, or that stupid flower, the more questions I have.”

“He visited you again?” Frisk sadly asks, “He hasn’t spoken to me since the ruins…”

“Well, if anything he said was true, I can’t really blame him.” You snap.

Frisk draws back from you, hurt written across their features. “How much did he tell you?”

“So it’s true then.”

“Yes, but I reset it!” Frisk helplessly explains, and Sans nearly has to pick his jaw off from the ground. You know about the resets? 

“That doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.” You hiss.

“It means exactly that it didn’t happen.” Frisk argues.

“So, what, those memories of yours are only a dream?” 

“N-no…”

“And Flowey’s? And whoever ‘Smiley Trashbag’ is?”

“He…. he told you a lot.” Frisk wipes at their eyes. Sans almost feels sorry for them. You just look pissed.

“I don’t know why I’m talking to you about this anyway. You’re just going to keep on doing whatever it is you’re doing, right?” Frisk doesn’t respond, so you continue. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“I, um…” Frisk shuffles their feet and Sans can see your stiff posture relaxing.

“I guess I owe you a nice cream, right?” Changing the subject, hm? Sans can emphasize with that. It’s a lot easier than continuing a difficult conversation.

“You have the gold for that?” Frisk takes the subject change with enthusiasm. 

“Well, I do now.” You tease. Frisk makes a face when they reach into their pocket, clearly missing some pocket change.

“When did you do that?!” They demand, but you shake your head and place a finger over your mouth.

“A magician never reveals their secrets.” Frisk scoffs and extends their hand. You take the offered limb. Without further ado, the kid drags you back towards town. 

Sans watches until the two of you are out of view.


	10. Sick Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every fic has one of these. I'm just trying to fit in.

_“Did the skeleton really think it could escape?” A voice, low and mocking, pierces through your skull. Gasping, you open your eyes. It’s the cottage this time, with all the furniture upturned and broken. The fireplace is housing a fire- the only source of light in this place. It’s still in the middle of the night, you realize. A human is throwing documents into the flames. You know it’s your identification, birth certificate, old photos… all the things that proves your existence. And they’re destroying it like it’s nothing._

_You try to leap forward, to stop this, but stop short. The man in front of you laughs, and you look down to see that you’re strapped into a wooden chair. A brief struggle tells you that your binds are strong, and won’t easily loosen. The sound of wood hitting flesh startles you, and looking up again you see the man casually swinging the baseball bat against his open palm._

_“Let’s get this over with.” The one by the fire sounds grumpy. The scrap of fabric wrapped around his wrist is stained red. You vaguely remember biting him before getting knocked out, and that makes you smile._

_A burst of pain explodes against the side of your head. You shrink back into the chair, feeling dizzy and sick. “I thought we went over this…” The man with the bat coos, “You will only pay attention to me.”_

_“Damn, that didn’t even leave a crack.”_

_“More fun for me.” There’s that sing songing again. It’s grating on your nerves. Another blow across your sternum, and then where your stomach would be if you were human. Instead it hits your spine, and your vision swims._

_You have to defend yourself! What’s left of your magic sputters from your eyes, but you’re unable to give it form. Anything would do- a shield, a burst of energy, hell- a sharpened bone will do in a pinch! But nothing happens. Magic just trails from your eyes like tears. Oh, who are you fooling. They are tears._

_Your captor is laughing, high pitched and half crazed. There’s a crack splintering the wood of the baseball bat. It makes you wonder just how hard he’s swinging that thing._

_The last sensation you feel is your teeth dissolving into dust._

“Shit!” You yelp, sitting up. Your forehead collides with something hard and firm and your entire body jerks back. An answering yelp echoes you, and there’s a slam against the floor. Someone is in the room with you, but you don’t care at the moment. Your entire body heaves and you scramble from the bed, out the door, and down the hallway. There’s a single bathroom that you share with the rabbits that live next door. Luckily, it’s empty.

Gripping the sides of the sink, you vomit the excess magic from your system. It’s an unpleasant process, and by the end your groaning on the floor, head buried in your arms.

For the past few days, ever since that little snowball fight between you and the kids, you’ve been feeling off. You guess the weather finally caught up to you. But that’s okay. You can deal with it. What really has your head spinning, however, are those dreams of yours.

Sometimes it’s in the cottage. Other times in the forest. There’s a rare occasion where you’re dragged kicking and screaming from Mt. Ebott, Frisk crying after you. It all ends the same way- dying by that madman’s hands.

You know what triggered these nightmares… memories. That damn duffel bag. It was a mistake to find it. And when you opened it. Sure, it’s kind of nice to have your Ebott City Identification Card, and your birth certificate back. It’s solid proof that you lived on the surface, that you had a life before being stuck down here. But the baseball bat that tagged along with your documents…

For whatever reason they got rid of that weapon too. Maybe to get rid of evidence? Hah, you snort. What evidence? Dust is easy enough to wipe off of anything. That’s the main reason why security cameras are a must have for every monster’s household, public area, and place of business. It’s hard to prove a murder when there’s no body.

A cool hand rests against the top of your skull. You flinch, but then relax. A consequence of getting used to being down here, you suppose. It’s getting easier and easier to just trust that no one’s going to hurt you in the underground. The only one who came close to that was the queen, and she was only trying to protect Frisk. You can understand that. You’re starting to get fond of the kid too.

“you’re burning up there, kiddo.” The hand belongs to Sans, then.

You sniffle, “What’re you doing here?”

“revenge.” He answers, “i, uh, found your phone. it isn’t finding the underground’s signal?”

“Human phone. Found it in the dumpster.” You mumble. The lie is easy, even if you’re starting to get sick of it.

“heh. i can take care of that. ready to get up?” Ugh. Is that what revenge is like down here? Making others feel bad by doing good things for them? That sucks.

“You suck at revenge.” You inform the shorter skeleton. He snorts and lets you use him to climb back on your feet, “You could’ve stolen my socks or something.”

“you don’t have socks.” He easily replies. Well, he got you there. You sway and catch yourself on his shoulder. “does your innkeeper know you’re not feeling so hot?”

“Her name is Mopsy and this is on a need to know basis.” You wave a finger in front of Sans’ increasingly amused face. “Capiche?”

“okay.” It sounds like agreement. Good. The last thing you need is that overprotective rabbit hovering over you. “well, let’s hop to it.”

Sans lets you lean on him like a crutch as you make your way back to the room. He’s even nice enough to throw an extra blanket on top of your rattling bones. Once you’re all settled in and about to drift off he ruins everything by asking, “so, do you want a bedtime story? i know a riveting tale about a human and his larger than average beanstalk-”

“Get the fuck out, Sans.” You mutter, closing your eye sockets.

The next day you wake up to the sight of an unfamiliar, leatherbound book laying right on top of the pile of self help guides you keep on the nightstand. Teeth chattering (whether from the cold or illness induced fever you do not know), you grab it and read the title. Grimm’s Fairy Tales? Your brow furrows.

Oh. You left it with your old jacket back at the door to the ruins. After the queen threw your new sweater at you. When you finally noticed you forgot the damn thing, you were already in Snowdin and didn’t want to hike through the forest again to retrieve it. Who in the world…?

Sans. It must’ve been him. He’s a sentry after all, and probably found it on patrol. That whole ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ quip makes a bit more sense now. You sigh and place it back on the pile. It will be nice to read something other than alternative ways to curb one’s anxiety.

“knock knock.” A familiar voice calls through your door.

“SANS, NOW IS NOT THE TIME! IF OUR MUTUAL FRIEND IS SICK, THEN-”

You sneeze. Papyrus stops talking, so you reply, “Who’s there?” You hear an aggravated sigh.

“atch.”

“Atch who?”

“sounds like you need some tissues.” You groan and bury yourself under the covers.

“UGH.” Papyrus seems to be tired of everyone’s shit, because the door slams open and he stomps in. You snuggle deeper into your cocoon, but that does nothing to stop the light from shining into your eye sockets when the tall skeleton opens your blinds. You let out a feeble hiss of protest, and someone pokes your side.

“we come bearing gifts.” Sans says from somewhere across the room.

An insistent pair of hands peels the blankets away from you. You blearily glare up at Papyrus’ grin, flushing when he places an ungloved hand on your forehead. His phalanges are long and thin, just like the rest of him. And they radiate a coolness that has you sighing in relief. Sans sidles up next to his brother, grinning. He places a stuffed bear on the pillow beside your head.

"You're not funny." You compain. Papyrus nods in agreement.

"i'm hilarious." Sans disagrees.

“SANS- ICE PACK!” Papyrus barks an order, and suddenly there is a dishrag filled with snow being placed on your head.

“That’s not an-” You start to say, but Papyrus shoves a spoonful of grape flavored something into your mouth. Is… is that children’s tylenol? Glaring over at Sans, he grins wider and shakes a bottle of the stuff at you.

“fortified with magic.” He adds, like that made everything even better.

“WHEN I HEARD OF YOUR SITUATION, I CAME OVER AS FAST AS I COULD. WHICH IS NOT VERY FAST, FOR YOU SEE, I WAS TOLD THAT SPAGHETTI IS NOT A PROPER MEAL FOR SICK MONSTERS. I WAS VERY DOUBTFUL AT FIRST, BUT UNDYNE TOLD ME THAT SOUP IS BETTER FOR THE THROAT AND SINUSES. I TOLD HER THAT SKELETONS DO NOT HAVE EITHER OF THOSE, BUT SHE MADE ME GO TO THE STORE ANYWAY.” Papyrus makes you lean forward so that he can fluff up your pillows. Finishing this task, he has you lean back so that you are comfortably propped up. “IT DID NOT HELP THAT SANS DID NOT TELL ME OF YOUR PLIGHT UNTIL AN HOUR AGO. BUT DO NOT FEAR, BONES, FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL NURSE YOU BACK TO HEALTH!”

A tray is placed on your lap, and on that is a steaming bowl of soup. You look down at it, confused. It’s alphabet soup, something you haven’t seen in years. Mustering a smile, you say, “Thanks Papyrus, but you don’t have to. I’m not very good company when I feel like crap.”

“NONSENSE.” Papyrus brushes off your concern. Sans sneaks over and uses the spoon to stir your soup. You snort when he begins spelling out the word ‘ass’, but do a double take when you see a bandaid on his forehead.

“Did I really hit you that hard?” You frown and try to poke him, but Sans ducks away.

“nah. it was just a small bruise, but frisk stopped by earlier and loaned me their band aid.” A fond look crosses his face before he shakes it off, “i guess the kiddo’s finally warming up to me.”

“WHILE THE TINY HUMAN’S CHARITY IS GENEROUS, THAT’S STILL. VERY GROSS.” Papyrus makes a face, then nudges the soup a bit more towards you.

Shaking your head, you take the spoon away from Sans and begin eating. Papyrus watches in a way that makes you extremely uncomfortable. Sans, meanwhile, is rifling through your drawers without a care in the world. Thankfully, you hid your personal documents away, so you don’t say anything as Sans finds a few of the things you’ve been collecting.

“Bones, I’m about to get some laundry done, do you have any- Oh. Hello.” Mopsy pokes her head inside, nose twitching at the sight the three of you make. “I didn’t know you had guests.”

“GOOD MORNING, MISS!” Papyrus greets her, “WE WERE JUST DROPPING OFF SUPPLIES. GET WELL SOON SUPPLIES!”

“Are you okay?” Mopsy turns her large, concerned eyes towards you. You shrug, snow sloshing from the dish rag on your skull and running down your face.

“he’s a bit under the weather.” Sans supplies, finding Papyrus’ old rubix cube. He raises a brow and you can only give a hoarse chuckle in response.

“Well, snow isn’t going to help with that.” She sounds stern, and disappears from the doorway. Moments later she’s back with a damp cloth.

“I can do that!” You protest as she dabs at your face.

“You’re probably going to have to sleep this off.” Mopsy muses, “You don’t look too bad. Sweetpea’s been through worse.”

“he vomited last night.” Sans adds because he probably hates you.

“Too much magic build up?” You nod at Mopsy’s question. The nightmare didn’t help last night either. You were probably trying to use magic in your sleep, when you were trying to get away… you shake the memories off. Now’s not the time for that. “Well, let us leave you to rest. I’ll check up on you in a little bit, okay Bones?” She shoots Sans a look, “Now, shoo. He can’t play today.”

“AWWW.” Papyrus complains, “BUT I WANTED TO HAVE A MOVIE DAY TO HELP BONES FEEL BETTER. UNDYNE EVEN GAVE ME THE DAY OFF!”

“Maybe tomorrow.” Ouch. Mopsy’s glaring at Papyrus now. A true mother hen, that woman.

“okay, okay. we’ll get out of your hare.” Sans reaches into the pocket of his gym shorts and pulls out a phone. He places it on the tray besides the soup. “fixed that up for you. call if you need one of us to break you out.”

“Get out.” Mopsy says, offended. Sans raises his hands in surrender. When the two of them finally leave, the rabbit shakes her head and sighs.

“I sense a disturbance in the force.” You comment, then use the corner of your sheet to blow your nasal cavity. Mopsy ignores your surface reference, instead making a disgusted noise and stuffing a handkerchief into your hands.

“I am sure they’re nice monsters, don’t get me wrong.” Mopsy closes her eyes for a moment, “But… I’ve heard rumors.”

“Rumors?”

“That they housed a human.” She clarifies, and you reel back in shock, “Our king only needs one more human to free us all, and if the rumors are true… they did not capture, or deliver news of the human’s presence. And, while I do not like the methods we are using, it is against the law to hide this information. We shouldn’t be involved, it’ll only end in trouble.”

“Oh.” You take the phone Sans gave you and press a button. The homescreen lights up, depicting a picture of the sunset on Mt. Ebott. Sans must’ve went through the phone’s picture gallery.

“Get some rest, Bones.” Mopsy takes the tray off your lap, “And let me know if you need anything.”

She closes the door behind herself. You settle back in bed and draw the blankets back up to your chin.

The next few days involve the skeleton brothers sneaking into your room to ‘help’ you. Well, Papyrus tries at least, mostly by bringing soup and old Mettaton VHS tapes. When he finds out you don’t even have a television, Papyrus even goes to the dump and brings it back the very same day. That’s considerate of him for sure, but there’s only so much of that robot you can take. To your shock, it seems that the flamboyant monster is the only source of entertainment in the entire underground. This leads you to silently begging Sans to save you more often than not. He pretends to not understand the looks you give him, content on letting you suffer. At the end of it, however, you find a lot of new books hidden under your bed and stuffed in pillowcases. How he manages this, you never know, but you’re grateful all the same.

Mopsy still disapproves of the two, but hasn’t said a word about it since that day. Instead, she focuses on nursing you back to health with an overabundance of baked goods and extra blankets. You’ve taken to storing the cinnamon bunnies you can’t eat into your duffel bag, or sneaking them into Sans’ jacket on the rare occasion you feel like reverse pickpocketing. You manage about ten of them before the shorter skeleton finally catches you.

By the third night, you are feeling a lot better. Still sick, but your bones are no longer rattling and the fever broke. You might even be able to go outside tomorrow! You’re flipping through a falling apart copy of Of Mice and Men when someone bangs at the door. Dropping the book, you stammer a quick “Who is it?” Normally, visitors barge in regardless of the time or what you could be doing. The very idea that someone is knocking throws you for a loop.

“It’s ME!” Undyne bellows from the other side of the door. You sit up straighter, alarm buzzing in your skull.

“Is everything okay?” You scramble out of bed and open the door. Undyne is standing there, looking all kinds of frustrated. In one hand is what looks like a sleeping bag. Her hair is messy and tangled, loose from the ponytail you normally see it in. And she’s wearing footy pajamas with… little fish patterns. You cover your mouth to hide a snicker.

“I’ve tried being resilient.” Undyne growls, pushing her way through the doorway and into the room. She slams the sleeping bag on the floor and unrolls it. “But I can’t stand sleeping on that couch anymore!”

“W-what?”

“It’s all lumpy and GROSS. I think something’s living in it, because I swear something bit my ass the other night!” Undyne throws herself on top of the sleeping bag with a grunt. “And when I FINALLY fall asleep, freaking SANS starts making snacks in the kitchen!”

“Oh. Okay then.” You walk around her prone form and crawl back into bed. If Undyne is surprised by your easy acceptance, she doesn’t show it. Instead she rolls over to look up at you. It’s kind of creepy, being stared at by a single yellow eye, so you grab a pillow and throw it at her face. She grunts, grabs the offending object, and stuffs it under her head.

“So, like, are you going to be mooching off of the rabbit family forever or what?” She bluntly asks. You cringe and reach over to turn off the light. The ensuing darkness doesn’t help much, but at least you can’t see her judgemental looks.

“It’s not like I have a demanding skillset.” You mumble, curling around a pillow.

“UGH! You’re so full of it!” Undyne shrieks. There’s a loud bang coming from the floor. Undyne must’ve punched it.

“Stop that.” You hiss, “I’m done talking about this.”

“Oh, you’re damn right you are!” Undyne retorts, “Because guess what?!”

“I thought you came here to sleep.” You moan.

“A good friend of mine needs an assistant!” She continues, “Someone that will encourage her to BE THE BEST SHE CAN BE.”

“You’re looking at the wrong skeleton. Papyrus is just down the street.” 

“Papyrus already has a job.” Undyne sounds smug, “And, really, all you need to do is make sure she isn’t watching anime all day what’s so difficult about that?!”

“If I say yes will you go to sleep?” 

“Maybe!” 

“Okay, fine then. When’s the interview?”

“Oh, we already did that!” Undyne cackles.

“What. Undyne, I think I would remember interviewing for a job.” You sit up and glare in her general direction.

“Sans roleplayed as my friend, Alphys, and I roleplayed as you! Obviously, you blew the interview right outta the water! She was so impressed that I immediately sent her an email telling her that you are starting tomorrow!” 

Is this real life? You reach over and grab your phone. Within a few moments you are sending Sans a text.

You (12:03 AM): I think I’m having a fever dream. 

Sans (12:04 AM): tell undyne i said hi xoxo

Ugh. Asshole.


	11. Where Undyne is Highly Inappropriate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the last chapter if you read it already. Added an extra scene.

“SANS WHERE WERE YOU LAST NIGHT? YOUR PET ROCK HAD A BAD DREAM AND I HAD TO GO DOWNSTAIRS TO COMFORT IT. THAT’S SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR JOB.” Papyrus sounds confused and a little bit hurt. Sans cringes and rubs the back of his skull.

“sorry bro, i was checking in on the new guy.”

“YOU MEAN BONES? WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU DO THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HEAD?!”

Sans winces and rubs at the small bruise on his forehead. “he had a bad dream too, bro. headbutted me, then he got sick in the bathroom. guess he isn’t feeling too good.” Sans shrugs. Papyrus gasps.

“OH NO! I SHALL MAKE MY ARTISAN SPAGHETTI! THAT SHOULD VANQUISH HIS SICKNESS IN NO TIME!”

“No way, Papyrus!” Undyne shouts from the opposite side of the couch. “When a monster is sick, you feed them SOUP!”

“SOUP?” Papyrus cocks his head in confusion.

“HELL YEAH! It’s good for their throat and gets rid of that gross mucus!” Undyne pumps a fist into the air.

“BUT SKELETONS DO NOT PRODUCE MUCUS.” Poor Papyrus sounds even more confused now.

“Doesn’t matter! Soup or NOTHING!” Undyne grins.

“THEN I SHALL GO TO THE STORE NOW!”

Once Papyrus leaves, Undyne turns to Sans. “So this new skeleton of yours…” Undyne starts, and Sans gets up to leave. Because. He. Just. Can’t. Deal. With. It. But the captain of the guard is as persistent as his brother, and grabs the sleeve of Sans’ jacket. “No, you’re not going anywhere.” He is abruptly thrown back on the couch.

“he is not mine, or Papyrus’.” Sans sulks, “not all skeletons have to be related.”

“Yeah, yeah. Bones told me that too.” Undyne impatiently says, “But, you see, here’s the thing- everyone here likes him. And it’s weird, right? Cuz he’s also a total moocher.”

“totally.” Sans agrees, because he really doesn’t care one way or the other at the moment. What business is it of his anyway? He looks over at the wall clock next to the door. Where in the world is Papyrus? He’s been gone for a whole ten seconds. It doesn’t take that long to go to the store.

“But you see, I like him too. I totally think he’s awesome, especially with music. But Papyrus- he told me that Bones looked uneasy about performing for gold. Which I can understand- it’s kind of like baring your SOUL way too much for my liking!” Undyne sips at her tea. Sans’ eye sockets narrow at the innocent looking cup. Just what did she put in there? She hasn’t spoken with him for this long since the last time she caught him sleeping on the job. Which was… what, last week?

“So, I thought about it a lot. And you know what?”

“i dunno undyne, wouldn’t selling his body to science also be kinda invasive?”

“IT’S NOT SELLING HIS BODY. He’ll just be working for Alphys!” Undyne dramatically yells. She then slowly turns her head to look directly at Sans. The skeleton inches away from her.

“How did you know what I was going to say?!”

“what’s amazing is that i didn’t. total shot in the dark.” Sans shrugs, “but, hey, good luck getting alphys to agree with this. i’m rooting for ya.”

“But it’ll be perfect! Alphys will pay him so he doesn’t have to mooch anymore, and he’ll keep her on track!” Undyne gestures wildly with her hands. Sans watches in fascination.

“okay so how is this going to work? kidnap him and throw him at alph’s door?”

“No, no! We’ll have to do this properly!” Undyne slams her fist into the palm of her other hand. Is it Sans’ imagination, or did he hear something break? “Sans- we’re going to have to roleplay this out!”

“what.”

“Yeah!” Undyne roars, “This is going to be AWESOME!”

No, Sans is pretty sure this is going to be the exact opposite of awesome.

Half an hour later, Sans is again on the couch. This time, however, he’s wearing that old lab coat he stuffed in his closet like a year ago. His reading glasses are perched on his face in a way that a guy with no ears or nose should physically be able to. He figures this would be enough for this whole ‘roleplay’ thing to work. After all, he absolutely refuses to paint his bones yellow. Just… no.

Then Undyne bursts into the living room, triumphantly beaming. She’s wearing one of Papyrus’ old sweaters- an orange hoodie he hasn’t worn since he was thirteen, and a pair of jeans that sport holes in various locations. But it’s not the fact she raided Papyrus’ closet that has Sans pausing. Oh, no.

She painted her entire face. White. Without realizing it, Sans’ jaw drops open in monumental disbelief. Undyne sits on the other end of the couch as if she doesn’t notice her roleplay partner’s reaction to her get-up.

“Okay, just hold on a second…” She mumbles, and searches her pockets.

“undyne…” Sans says, voice hitching.

“Got it!” Undyne holds up another eyepatch, and to Sans’ morbid curiosity, she places it over her one working eye. He can only guess that’s to imitate a skeleton’s eye sockets. “Shit, I can’t see a thing like this.” She comments.

Sans doesn’t know how to take this. So he does the only thing he can think of- places his hands over his face. A loud, ugly snort escapes. Then another. And another. Soon enough he’s just laughing his non-existent ass off as Undyne angrily shouts “WHAT?!” at him.

This is the scene Papyrus walks into once he’s back from the store. His brother, laughing so hard tears are pouring from his eye sockets- and dear lord, did he just fall off the couch?! He lets out a distressed “NYEH?!”, drops the bag of soup he was carrying, and is about to run over to Sans and see if he’s alright.

But then he actually takes in Undyne. He stops. He stares. And then a squeal erupts from his mouth. “OH MY GOD UNDYNE!”

“Oh, hey Papyrus! I think your brother is broken.” Undyne replies, turning her head towards the source of her friend’s voice.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR FACE?” Papyrus shrieks as Sans starts to wheeze.

A bit later, Undyne’s face is mostly wiped free of paint, and Sans is only slightly hysterical now. Papyrus stands in the threshold between the living room and kitchen, keeping a watchful eye on both the boiling soup on the stove and the two sitting on the couch.

“so what makes you think you’re the skeleton for the job?” Sans asks.

“Well, I am-” Undyne starts, but Sans yawns. She glares at him before continuing, “A hardworking, PASSIONATE guy with absolutely NO WORK EXPERIENCE and a history of committing crime!”

“you’re boring me already. i think i’ll go rewatch that episode of mew mew kissy cutie-”

“If you hire me, I promise I won’t steal your anime!” Undyne bursts out.

“whelp i’m sold.”

Papyrus whispers to himself, “BY GOD SANS IS AN EXCELLENT ACTOR.”

Sans fidgets. “okay, are we done now?”

“Yeah! I’ll send an email to Alphie, and tell her the good news!” Undyne pulls out her phone and begins jabbing at the screen.

Sans shrugs off his jacket and lets it fall over the arm of the couch. Slowly, he gets up and begins walking towards the front door. “i’ll be back in a bit.” He mutters.

“ALRIGHT, DEAR BROTHER. BUT PLEASE BE BACK SOON SO THAT WE CAN VISIT OUR AILING FRIEND.” Papyrus instructs. Sans gives him a thumbs up and steps through the door.

To his complete and utter shock, he nearly collides straight into Frisk. The kid stumbles back, face pale and eyes wide. Sans shuts the door and turns his smile over to them, “hey kiddo.” Frisk trembles, opens their mouth, then closes it. To Sans’ bemusement, this repeats itself for quite a while before they abruptly turn as if to flee.

Well, Sans isn’t having that. It’s been way too long since the two of them had a real heart to heart. With a quickness that would startle anyone else, the short skeleton grabs Frisk’s wrist. Frisk freezes, their little body tense. It makes Sans wonder how such a fragile looking human can cause as much trouble as they have.

“hey, it’s rude to run away from your pal like that.” He quietly says, “i missed ya.”

“You…” Frisk croaks, “You didn’t meet me at the gate… I thought…” 

“thought what? wasn’t my fault you were late.” Sans gently chides 

“You don’t hate me.” Frisk finally realizes.

Sans closes his eye sockets, “‘course not.” The child lets out a soft sniffle, then practically lunges themself into the skeleton’s arms. Sans sighs and hugs the kid, absentmindedly patting their head. He tries to ignore the wetness spreading on his shirt.

When Frisk finally wiggles free from Sans’ grasp, they stare up at him with red rimmed eyes. “What happened to your head?” They ask.

“eh, don’t worry about it. i have a thick skull, remember?” Sans taps the side of his skull and Frisk softly giggles.

“Um, hold on a second…” Frisk digs into their pockets. Beaming triumphantly, they pull out an old bandage. They motion towards Sans, who bends down slightly so that the child can gently stick the item on top of the bruise. “There.” They smile.

The door slams open and apyrus steps out. In his hands is a steaming bowl of soup. “SANS GOOD YOU ARE HERE. HELLO, SMALL HUMAN.”

“Hey Papyrus.” Frisk greets.

“ready bro?”

“I WAS BORN READY. BUT YES.” Papyrus nods at Frisk, “MY APOLOGIES DEAR FRIEND. MY BROTHER AND I ARE GOING TO VISIT ANOTHER FRIEND. WHO IS NOT YOU. THEY SEEM TO HAVE COME DOWN WITH A SICKNESS. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND JOINING IN ON OUR VENTURE- YOU MIGHT GET SICK TOO! COME ALONG SANS.”

As Papyrus heads towards the inn, Sans stays back. He places his hands into the pockets of his jacket and looks solemnly down at the child. “frisk, i know things have been tough, but you know you don’t have to hide things from me, right?”

Frisk sighs and fiddles with the sleeves of their sweaters. They always do that whenever they feel uncomfortable or unsure. Sans bites down the sudden feeling of irritation this causes. It’s no use, getting upset with the kid.

“I know.” They finally reply.

“good. that’s good.” Sans exhales, “so now that’s out of the way, i need to ask you something that’s been bugging me.”

“What?” Frisk asks, visibly bracing themself.

“who is bones?” Frisk shrinks back from the question, “really, kiddo. he’s kind of a big mystery here.”

“Not my secret to tell. You’re going to have to ask him.” Frisk whispers, “Sorry.”

Well, that got him nowhere. Sans sighs and looks down the corner, where Papyrus is impatiently tapping his foot. “well, if you insist…”

“Sans, he isn’t a bad person.” Frisk says, “It’s just… really confusing. How to get everything out in the open. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“and the secrets been working well for you so far?” Sans asks, letting a bit of his frustration into his voice, “eh, forget it. i’ll catch up with you later.” He ruffles Frisk’s hair so that the human knows there really isn’t any hard feelings, then begins strolling over to where his brother is waiting.

Well, Bones… it looks like it’s just down to you and him. Let’s see if he can get you to talk.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------  
The Following Are Scenes That I Didn't Write Into Previous Chapters, But Did Happen Anyway:

 

1\. Papyrus Can Be a Ruthless MoFo at Times

Sans- bro that is not a puzzle.

Papyrus- BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE LOGICAL SEQUENCE BEFORE PROCEEDING.

Sans- yes but you covered beartraps with snow.

Papyrus- BUT-

Sans- children will die.

 

2\. How Papyrus Found Out About Bones

(At Grillby’s Bar, redecorated as a war room)

Papyrus- SO OUR MENACE TO SOCIETY WILL BE CAUGHT BY MY GENIUS PUZZLES AND I SHALL FIND OUT WHO EXACTLY THIS MONSTER IS.

Grillby- (polishing a glass) (oddly enough he is wearing army fatigues) It was Bones.

Papyrus- (Gasps) HOW DID YOU KNOW?!

Grillby- I always see him stealing condiments from my restaurant.

Mopsy- (skeptically) And you never called him out on it…?

Grillby- (shrugs) He always returned them, so I didn’t see the harm in it.

Sans- (sighs)

 

3\. How Mopsy Saved Snowdin

Mopsy- Okay, look, if we promise to keep Bones out of trouble will you not destroy our town.

Papyrus- I WILL CONSIDER IT.


	12. The Mad Scientist

“You sure we couldn’t have given it another day?” You blow into the handkerchief and try to ignore the feeling of seasickness. In front of you is the riverperson, humming their cheerful tune. Besides you is Undyne, with the duffel bag and violin case at her feet. She is grinning in excitement, one hand trailing against the surface of the water as the boat moves onward at a fast pace. You try not to think of just how fast.

“No way! The last thing I need is for either of you to change your minds.” Undyne snorts, “I know how you weenies work- Leave you alone for long and you’ll back down!”

“And why did I have to bring my stuff?” You complain just to complain.

“The only way you two will know for sure you’ll get along is if you spend LOADS of time together!” Undyne pumps her fist in the air.

“Are you sure it isn’t because you’re staging a coup on my room.” 

“... Maybe.” Undyne admits, “But. hey- the lab’s in Hotland. It’s way hotter than Snowdin. The last of your cold will be sweated out in no time!”

“I’m just saying- Mopsy likes me more than you. That’s my room.” You try to ignore how odd, but natural, it is to say that. The last time you ever had the right to say such a thing was before your parents died. Impact didn’t have a house, and all foster homes after that made it a point that you knew you didn’t truly belong with them. 

“Is it really so wrong to want some alone time?” Undyne asks.

“According to Papyrus? Yes.”

The boat slows to a stop. Undyne grabs your things, then hops off with an ease you’re envious of. You follow her much more slowly, and as the two of you begin walking you notice the abrupt change in atmosphere.

Snowdin is crisp, clear, and cold. Waterfall is humid, warm, and beautiful. And the Hotlands? The first thing you notice is how dry the air is. Breathing is akin to breathing in a hot oven. The air is heavy and weighs on your bones. Being out here for long would take a toll on you, and taking a glance at Undyne, she is already suffering. Her usual tank top is sticking to her frame like a second skin and her hair is limp. 

“How can monsters stand this.” You wonder, and Undyne shakes her head.

“Not many actually live this close to the magma.” She explains, “They just commute to work from other places- usually the Capital. The only ones who live here are, like, Vulkins, or fire elementals. Dr. Alphys has her lab, but it has pretty nice air conditioning.”

“I see.” Undyne ventures to the right and oh. Wow. This must be the lab.

It’s a large, white building. No windows that you can see. Double doors serve as the only entrance, but there are no doorknobs. The entire thing looks out of place, looming above the copper colored ground. You half expect to see lightning striking in the background.

“You alright there?!” Undyne claps you on the back so hard you stumble forwards.

“Sorry. The last time I saw a place like this it was in a horror movie.” You shake your head, “The entire time I was yelling ‘don’t go in there, asshole!’”

“Hah! Maybe you can let me borrow that movie sometime.” Undyne snickers.

The doors open as you approach. Undyne walks through without any comment, grabbing your forearm and tugging you with her. A blast of cool air hits your bones. The doors shut. The captain of the guard sighs in relief. 

“Alphys!” She bellows, “We’re here!”

You shake her grip off and wander further into the building. The entrance hall is short, and opens up into a large area. Alongside one wall is a large monitor with several dials and switches underneath it. On the screen you spot Frisk, sitting by a ghost on what looks like a snail farm. They’re sharing headphones. Looking down, there are notes and checklists, all of which detailing the human’s whereabouts. The earliest date you see is right when they must’ve exited the ruins.

The scientist must’ve known about Frisk for a while. But if that’s the case, why didn’t she report to the king immediately? Did she have her own plans for them? You shake off your thoughts, scolding yourself. No point in trying to make assumptions. Remember the last time you did that? 

There’s a desk right next to the monitors. An old desktop computer sits upon it, covered with anime statues of schoolgirls and post-it notes. You move the mouse, and the screen flickers open to a social media page. It looks kind of like facebook. You avert your gaze and spot several unopened letters. A few are from the canine unit in Snowdin. Curious.

You look up when you hear a ‘whirring’ sound. A few yards away, an elevator door opens, and a small yellow monster steps out. Glasses are perched at the end of her snout, and her lab coat is haphazardly buttoned up. She’s dragging an open bag of dog food with her. That must be Alphys.

Meeting her halfway, you grab the bag and lift it up. “Here, I’ll help you.”

“O-oh!” She exclaims, surprised, “Thanks! J-just, by the fridge, please?” The royal scientist follows you and watches as you deposit the bag.

“What’s this stuff for, anyway?” You ask, “Got a pack of dogs to feed or something?”

“E-experiment.” Alphys nervously squeaks, “N-nothing important, r-really!” 

“Sorry, by the way.” You offer, frowning down at her. Did you say something wrong?

“F-for what?”

“Imposing on you.” You shrug, “Undyne didn’t really give us much of a choice though, did she?”

“I-it’s fine.” She’s quick to assure you, “I-I know Undyne is… is j-just worried about me! A-and you. S-she cares about her friends a lot!”

“Are you punks gossiping about me?!” A demanding voice shouts from above. Alphys blushes and stutters. You look up and see Undyne glaring down at the two of you from the loft on the second floor. 

“U-undyne!” Alphys smiles, “You- You came to drop my new assistant off?”

“Heck ya I did!” She replies and jumps down to join the two of you. “I put your stuff on the spare cot Alphys here got for you!”

“Ah, thanks.” You look from Undyne to Alphys.

“Y-yeah, the lab doesn’t really have s-separate bedrooms. A-are you okay with that?” Alphys nervously asks.

“It’s fine.” You shrug. It’s not the first time you’ve bunked up like this.

“Awesome!” Undyne nods in satisfaction, “Anyway, I have to get going! Might as well pay a visit to the king, and catch up on a few things.” At the look on your face, she chuckles and shakes her head, “Nothing new on my end, but Asgore’s kind of like a dad. He worries if I don’t visit in a while. Such a softy!”

“H-have fun!” Alphys says, and with that she is gone.

Without the loud, blue fish monster in the room, the tension between the two of you becomes thick and anxious. The royal scientist twiddles her thumbs, alternating between staring at the trashcan by the desk and you. Meanwhile, your eyes wander past her and towards the elevator. You wonder where it might lead to.

The two of you jump when the phone in your pocket beeps. Laughing, you pull it out. A text from Frisk, asking if you want to join them and Sans at Grillby’s for dinner. You type out a quick reply declining their generous invitation. 

Lately, Sans has been kind of getting up in your business. First, by blatantly going through all of your things right in front of you. Which, sure, you guess fair is fair. You went through his things, after all. But then he began to ask you very… personal questions. About your childhood. You hobbies. Whether you prefer white or chocolate milk. Kind of silly, you know. But you’re getting creeped out all the same. A second later Frisk texts back.

Frisk (1:13 PM): Awww but why :(

You (1:14 PM): idk I think Sans has a weird crush on me and I don’t want to encourage him.

There. Now all the heat can go to Sans.

“W-who’s that?” Alphys asks.

“Just a friend.” You absentmindedly reply, “So, what do you normally do on a workday?”

“W-well..” Alphys adjusts her lab coat, straightening her posture a bit, “L-lately, I’ve been trying to fiddle around with robotics, and combining it with magic- stabilizing it, anyway. M-most of the time, either the batteries run out of juice way too fast, or e-everything just explodes.”

She leads you to her worktable, gesturing to a bunch of metal plating and wires. You can’t really make sense of anything. Your phone buzzes again.

Sans (1:17 PM): what did you tell the kid

Sans (1:17 PM): theyre wiggling their eyebrows at me and making weird faces

Sans (1:17 PM): make them stop

You roll your eyes. 

“T-that phone looks pretty old.” Alphys says, “If you’d like, I- I can give you an upgrade?”

“You don’t have to do that.” You quietly reply, and slip the phone into your pocket.

“I-, er, um…” Alphys stumbles over her words, “C-could say the same about you?”

You stare at her.

“It- It’s, well, you-” She gulps, “You seem the type that… d-doesn’t like to accept help. But- you should! At least, at least ev- every once in a while?” 

You lean back against her work table, the tips of your phalanges tapping against the wood. It feels kind of cheap, like the type of material you’d find in a school or library. Functional, but not much shine. You like it- a lot more than the tables at that hipster cafe Gigi took you to a lifetime ago. 

Gigi… that monster was the very first one to offer you a job in how long? And you just shot her down, confident that you didn’t want to take that plunge. You preferred going back to that old cabin in the woods and sleep on dirty sheets than signing a damn modeling contract. And look where that got you.

And then comes Undyne, the monster that doesn’t take no for an answer. She dragged you towards a way of earning something other than a life of slumming it in Snowdin. And it isn’t like you made the impatient woman work for it. Hell, you even packed your things while she was getting breakfast. Even if this is a pity job, or whatever- you are kind of grateful for the new scenery. 

Have you really changed that much, that fast since falling down here?

Dr. Alphys probably misunderstands your silence, because the very next thing out of her mouth is “O-oh my god! I’m sorry, that was rude I didn’t mean to make you mad or anything I’m sure your phone is fine just the way it is please don’t be upset-”

Is she even breathing between words? You press a finger against her snout in a shushing gesture. She stops, eyes widening and cheeks turning redder than you’ve ever seen before. You reach back into your pocket and pull out your phone.

Pressing it into her clawed hands, you say, “Okay, let’s see what you can do.”


	13. Flowey Gets Candy Out of This

“Where’d you learn that song? It’s really pretty, you know you are just like this character from one of my animes who was really misunderstood by all of her classmates except for this one guy and they fell in love and- okay I’ll shut up now.” At least Alphys looks a little bit ashamed when you stop playing to glare at her. 

Turns out that the royal scientist gets distracted way too easily- especially since her living space and workspace are all squished up in the same building. You remember reading once that everything personal and work related should be separated. So most of the first day together was spent moving her spare worktable downstairs and her desktop computer upstairs. Then you had to confiscate her phone. And the manga she somehow hid in her notes. Undyne wasn’t kidding when she said her friend needs help to get anything done.

Today you found out Alphys works a lot better with music in the background. But, of course, her anime soundtracks has her singing and dancing before long. So you took away her CDs and tried playing the violin for her instead. The results turned out much better. The doctor only stops to try to have a conversation with you every other song now.

“I-is it time for my break yet?” Alphys timidly asks. You glance over at the table. A large diagram of a humanoid robot resides there, littered with notes and mathematical formulas that, quite frankly, make your skull hurt. There’s a lot more writing on it than… you check your phone- an hour ago. Sighing, you put down the violin so that it rests right beside the diagram. The yellow monster beams and holds out her hands.

“Twenty minutes.” You tell her, and she frantically nods. Once you give her the requested phone, she squeals and runs upstairs. Seconds later your newly upgraded phone buzzes. Biting back a laugh, you see that Alphys wasted no time.posting on the undernet.

ALPHYS updated status.

MFW the slavedriver finally lets me take a break LOLOL ^.^

...Did she forget that you can read what she writes?

A loud whooshing sound makes you look up and towards the lab’s entrance. Alphys did not mention anything about visitors today. You slip off the barstool you’ve been perching on and turn to greet the newcomer.

“Oooh Alphys, darling!”

Before you can determine who it is, a pair of long, metallic arms coil around you like a snake. As you struggle within their grasp, you are tugged towards their source. Your spine presses against a hard, unyielding surface. A low, robotic voice purrs into your ear canal, “Now, who’s this?” If he’s trying to be seductive, it’s failing. Horribly.

“ALPHYS!” You shout.

“You said twenty minutes!” She shouts back.

“YOU HAVE A VISITOR!” The arms around you squeeze harder.

“WHAT?!” Alphys shrieks, and a loud banging sound is heard.

“Oh, let her have her break!” Your captor robotically purrs, “And in the meantime… we can get to know each other better.”

“M-Mettaton? What are you doing here?!” Alphys finally appears, looking equally shocked and exasperated.

Mettaton ignores her in favor of leaning closer to you, and asking, “Tell me… would you smooch a ghost?”

Nuh-uh. This is way too much. You jerk your skull back, colliding with Mettaton’s front. He lets out a surprised gasp, and his arms slacken. Before he can recover, you slide down to the floor and duck behind Alphys.

“O-oh my!” Mettaton pants. You peek over the scientist’s shoulder to see a familiar rectangular robot fanning himself.

“Your front panel is cracked!” Alphys exclaims, “That’s- that’s going to take forever to fix!”

“If you think I’m going to apologize…” You start and the royal scientist shakes her head.

“No, no! He probably deserved that.”

“Alphys!” Mettaton slumps in a way that looks like he’s pouting.

“It’s for the best, anyway!” Her smile is strained, but genuine. “I, um, managed to figure out a few things today, and we can install upgrades! If you have the time, that is.”

“Why, of course darling!” Mettaton perks up, “I always have time for you.”

“Is that so.” Alphys mutters, a brief look of uncertainty crossing her features. She shakes her head at your questioning look. “Bones- why don’t you take the rest of the day off? This is going to take some time… and, well- Mettaton won’t let me slack off. E-especially for his upgrades...”

It’s a tempting offer. You’ve been stuck in the lab for most of the day, and while Alphys is pleasant company, Mettaton has you on edge now. Who just… grabs people like that? “You sure?” You are already grabbing your violin and placing it in the ‘dimensional box’ of your phone. What you wouldn’t have given to have this technology back on the surface…

“Y-yeah!” Alphys awkwardly pats your arm, “T-though, could you- if you didn’t mind, that is, grab a few things from the store? I- there’s a list on the icebox! And just tell the cashier that it’s for… official royal business! They’ll know where to send the bill.”

There’s ramen and pocky sticks scrawled on the paper, and nothing else. Does she really live off this stuff? Hell, even while shoplifting you wouldn’t give the pocky a second glance. You resolve to get a little bit more variety than that. Alphys must realize what you’re planning, because she stutters out a “Don’t go crazy!”

“Now why would you say that?” You press a hand against your sternum and muster up a hurt look that has Alphys looking torn between anger and guilt. While she’s still deciding, you back away towards the exit.

As the doors slide closed behind you, Mettaton purrs, “Alphy, dear, you must tell me about this new skeleton friend of yours…’

The heat hits and you reel back in shock, almost forgetting how the air suffocated you just yesterday. Another great observation of Undyne’s- the air conditioning in the lab is just that good.You are tempted to go back inside and call it a day.

But then a flash of golden petals catch your eye. Groaning, you move towards Flowey, who looks up at you with a reproachful eye.

“How is it that everyone ignores me when I’m, for once, trying to do the right thing!” He spits out.

“What are you trying to do?” You ask, “Because from what I’ve seen, you just kind of pop up and rant at me.”

“I told you about Frisk- about what they did!” Flowey protests, “So that just maybe you’d try to do something about it!”

“Like what? I’m just about as powerless as they come when it comes to this…” You wave your hands around, “Situation. What did you expect?”

“Don’t you see?!” Flowey’s petals bristle like an angry cat’s. A lot of his mannerisms remind you of an irritated feline, actually. It makes it hard to take the flower seriously. “This is the lab! The one Frisk keeps talking about! Whatever their end game is- it’s in there!”

“Huh?” You turn around to look at the building, “Are you sure? Because most of the things in there are just robot parts and anime statues.”

“This is the only lab in the underground, genius.” Flowey informs you, “And besides, do you really think the royal scientist showed you all of her dirty little secrets? HAH! You’ve barely scratched the surface.”

“You know, between you and Frisk, my life is just getting way too difficult.” You sigh and begin walking.

“H-hey! Where do you think you’re going?!” Flowey yelps.

“To the shops. Alphys needs to restock on a few things.” You reply, not bothering to look over as Flowey pops up beside you.

“Are you really not curious at all?” He sounds kind of disappointed.

“It’s not that…” You stop and glance sideways at him, “Every time I dig some new information up, I just regret it. So, maybe I’d like to be ignorant every once in a while.”

“That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard!” Flowey cackles, “Knowledge is the ultimate power! Do you really think you’d be better off not knowing to watch your back around Frisk? Or the resets?”

“Every night I dream of dying.” You say, and Flowey shrinks back, looking chagrined, “And I’m pretty sure they aren’t just dreams. More like memories. Of turning into dust. Over and over again. I haven’t had a good night’s rest since I found out about all this shit. So, yeah, I’m pretty sure I’d be better off if I never found out.”

“Sorry.” At your scoff, he insists. “No, really! I mean, I think I am?”

“Don’t think about it too hard.” You advise.

“It’s all I can think about!” Flowey bursts out, “Sometimes, when I concentrate very hard, I can almost get a glimpse, an actuality instead of a memory, but- then it disappears!”

“What disappears?” You ask, confused.

Flowey freezes, then almost immediately shakes off your question, “Never mind! It’s not like you really want to know anyway! You’ll just regret it, right?!”

“Flowey…” You start.

“Don’t you have anything better to do? Go away.” Flowey turns so he’s facing away from you. A clear dismissal for sure, but there’s something unsettling about it. To end a conversation like this… just feels wrong.

So, ignoring how much of a bad idea this is, you crouch down so that you’re more on the flower monster’s level and extend your right arm. “Want to go to the store with me?”

“Ugh, what are you doing?!” Flowey slightly turns so that you can see the disgust on his face.

“Offering you a lift.” When he doesn’t make a move, you wiggle your phalanges, “Aw, c’mon. Everything’s going on the king’s tab.”

“And you’ll get me whatever I want?” From irritated cat to interested child… who knew a flower can be so expressive?

“Within reason.” You promise. A slightly thorny vine wraps around your forearm, making you glad that you never took off your sweater despite the heat. Slowly and hesitantly, Flowey climbs up to your shoulder like a demented parrot.

When you stand up, Flowey shrieks into your ear canal, “W-woah! Don’t go so fast you maniac!”

“Okay, first off- no backseat driving.” You start walking. Flowey sways back and forth, unused to shoulder rides.

“And second off?” Flowey asks a few seconds later.

“Didn’t get that far yet.” You shrug. Your phone rings- the tune something from an anime that you haven’t bothered to change yet.

“Who’s that?” Flowey asks as you fish the phone out of your pocket and glare at the screen.

“Sans.” You groan, and the flower leans down to read your messages.

Sans (4:15 PM): how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood

“That question doesn’t make any sense.” Flowey scoffs.

“Sans doesn’t make any sense. Yesterday he asked me if a tiger has orange or black stripes. And then he tried to start a debate about cooked versus uncooked spaghetti noodles… on second thought, Papyrus might have taken over the conservation from that point…” You muse.

“Tell him that woodchucks don’t chuck wood.” He rages.

You (4:17 PM): A lot?

Sans (4:17 PM): no no youre supposed to say as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood

Sans (4:17 PM): do you know nothing of nursery rhymes

“Stupid smiley trashbag!” Flowey sputters.

You turn your head to look at the flower in surprise. “Wait… wait a second! Sans is smiley trashbag?!”

“What, you didn’t know? I thought it was obvious!” Flowey looks about as shocked as you feel, “Wow, you really are a moron!”

You pass several monsters, who turn and stare as you growl in frustration. “No! It wasn’t obvious at all! He remembers… everything?”

“Not everything. More like… the events that stand out more.” Flowey shrugs, “Like when Frisk arrives in the underground, the big fights, that sort of thing. I’ve never been sure how or why. We aren’t exactly friends.”

“So if he doesn’t remember me from any previous timelines…” You start, worry nipping at the back of your neck. You barely notice that you’ve arrived at the shop, mindlessly opening the door and stepping through.

“Yeah, I’m preeeetty sure he knows you’re an anomaly. He’s probably keeping tabs on you too. Have fun with that. Oooh, can I have a candy?”

You grab a basket and Flowey proceeds to fill it with junk food. The phone beeps again.

ALPHYS updated status.

TFW you find that book you’ve been looking for for ages. 

ALPHYS updated status.

It was in my bathroom LOL (*^__^*)

Well, looks like you should get back to work. That’ll keep your mind off of things, right?


	14. What's In A Name

Another night, another nightmare/memory. You wake up, sweating and gasping. There’s a phantom pain in your spine that has you momentarily spasming against the sterile cotton sheets of your cot. Rather than the cozy, pale yellow ceiling at the inn, you are greeted by the sterile white of Alphys’ lab. It jars you- this isn’t what you’ve come to associate with home, with being safe. Your ribs shudder over waves of panic. Where are you, where are those humans, those murderers- and then a loud snore penetrates your skull, and you come back to yourself.

Alphys is in her own bed across from your cot, drooling on her pillow. Her glasses are barely hanging on the tip of her snout. The lab is always kept cold, so heavy blankets are cocooned around her much like how you had yours until you kicked them off in a blind panic. Every once in a while, she lets out a loud, nasally snore.

Thank goodness she is a heavy sleeper. Not once has she woken up from one of your nightmares. With a heavy sigh, you grab your phone from its place under your pillow. According to the clock, it’s barely six in the morning. Alphys won’t be up until much later, but you won’t be able to get back to sleep anytime soon.

Slowly, silently, you pull on your old boots and head downstairs in the darkness, aided by the soft glow of your eyes. Your steps echo against the floor and you cringe. If anyone else is in the building, they’d be able to hear you coming from anywhere. It’s not really a problem down here, you know this- but what with the nightmare, and past experiences up on the surface… you’re kind of on edge. Everything would feel so much better back at Snowdin, in your small room that no one could hide in. You have half a mind to call up Undyne to vent at her. She’s up, she’s always up so early to go running with Papyrus.

...Yeah. You can see how that conversation will go. _How dare you get me a job, you horrible fish woman._ Stars, that sounds horrible even in your own skull.

Ah, jeez. You’re even starting to use the underground’s terminology. Leave it to a society that can’t see the stars to glorify them. It’s not like you’ve ever really paid attention to the sky before either. It’s just something that’s always been there. You’ve always taken these things for granted, haven’t you?

C’mon now, shake off those dark thoughts.

You manage to make your way to the small kitchen Alphys set up in the corner of the lab. Flicking on the lights softly illuminates the area, but no where else. The fridge shows nothing new- just an overabundance of ramen and other frozen foods Flowey ‘helped’ you pick out a few days ago.

The off brand, barely expired vegetable soup seems the least offensive to you, so you grab that and shut the door. There’s an electric can opener on the counter, but you’re reluctant to disturb the relative quiet of the building. Instead, you reach into your pocket and take out that small pocketknife you took from the queen’s kitchen a few weeks ago.

Homelessness taught you many things, including how to open cans with a variety of tools. You use the sharp blade to pry the top of the can off, movements practiced and sure. Once that is done, you grab a coffee mug and proceed to pour the soup into it.

“Where did you get that?!” A familiar voice asks, and you fumble with the can, almost dropping everything on the tiled floor.

“F-frisk?! What’re you doing here?” You hiss, taking in their slumped figure. Is it just you, or do they seem more tired than usual? There are dark circles under their eyes, reminding you of Sans’. Their skin is also a bit pale, a sign you remember reading about in an old human medical textbook. Is Frisk getting ill?

“I wanted to sneak in before anyone wakes up.” They whisper, shivering against the cold of the lab, “Otherwise, there’d be this whole song and dance, and I’m really not up for it right now… Where’d you get that knife, Bones?”

You slip said knife back into your pocket. “From the queen’s kitchen.” There’s no use lying about it- the way Frisk was eyeing the sharp object. It gives you a feeling that they’ve seen it before.

“...Oh. Maybe it’s good that you have it…” Frisk groans and covers their eyes.

“Do I want to know more about this knife?” Another reach into your pockets, and you find a familiar ziploc bag. You haven’t needed to use it in a while, but you’re pretty sure the soup can didn’t have a chance to mix with magic yet. You take a bit of the powder from the bag, sprinkle a bit into the full mug, and shove the soup into the microwave. Once it’s shut the device automatically starts heating the food.

“No.” Frisk replies, and doesn’t even flinch when you rest the length of your palm against their forehead.

“You’re feeling kind of warm.”

“I’m feeling kind of lousy.” Frisk shrugs, “I fell into the river and spent the entire day wet. So of course I get sick.”

“And here I was thinking you must’ve caught it from me.” You joke, ruffling the kid’s hair.

Frisk squirms away. “Can humans get sick from monsters?”

“Nah. Monsters get sick when their magic gets wonky. You don’t have magic- so, no magic sickness.”

“Ugh.”

“But there's a story, takes place way back. When there were still knights and stuff. My uncle loved telling it.” At Frisk’s interest, you continue, “So there was this plague. It was killing a lot of humans. A lot of monsters, too. No one knew how or why it was affecting everyone. But, the skeletons back then were a bit more advanced than the others.”

“Really.” Frisk sounds doubtful and you grin.

“The way he told it, yeah. We already had the beginnings of electricity and indoor plumbing, but kept it a secret for whatever reason.” You wink and Frisk laughs. “And in the end, the skeletons found the cure and saved the day.”

“So why did it hurt monsters and humans?”

“Impact never told me. And, well, since there’s no written account that I could find, he probably just made it up.”

“So why tell me the story?”

“Because once upon a time he told me that the humans won the war against monsters by trapping them underneath a mountain. And it turned out to be true…” You look away, “So who’s to say this story is fake too?”

“...Your uncle's name is Impact?” You give them a look. “Sorry, it's just… Sans. Papyrus. Impact. But you say your name is Bones. It's not, is it?”

“Frisk.”

“Wait! Let me guess. Is it Roman?”

“I'm not telling.”

“How about Arial?” They're laughing now, obviously entertained by the pained expression on your face.

“So why did you need to get into this lab?” You interrupt before they can continue their little guessing game. The microwave beeps, and you take the soup out. “I mean, you mentioned it way back in the ruins…”

“Do not think for a second that I’m letting this go. But I'm looking for old lab reports. I never had time to read them before.” Frisk watches as you gently blow on the soup and take a sip. They shake their head when you offer them the mug. “I don’t think even Alphys remembers that they’re here.”

“And what’s in those reports?”

“Information. About the last royal scientist.” Frisk sneezes, then scowls. “Oh, gross.”

“And this is important? Like, really, truly important?” You press a paper napkin into the child’s hands. They blow their nose into it.

“I know you don’t have any real reason to trust me. I messed up, a lot. But, yeah. I think this is important.” Red rimmed eyes look up at you, “Everyone’s getting saved this time, and I’ll never reset again. I promise.”

Frisk leaves soon after, intending to return the next night. As to whether or not this is truly the last run before everyone’s back on the surface again… you’d rather not think about it. Best to concentrate on the here and now. The last thing you need is to get your hopes up.

“Bones? Why are you up so early?” Alphys stumbles into view, eyes half closed and lab coat thrown haphazardly over one shoulder.

“Nightmare. Didn’t want to go back to sleep.”

“You get those a lot?” She begins to prepare the usual morning tea.

“I blame it on an active imagination.” You watch her movements, “What’re you doing up so early? Usually, you don’t even have breakfast until noon.” Alphys almost drops the tea kettle. It clatters on the counter, but luckily doesn’t break.

“Oh! Uhm, it’s nothing, really.” She nervously titters, “It’s just- I may have gotten a text from Un... Undyne! And the king… may be visiting later?”

Alarm bells go off in your skull. The king, eh? The one that has been collecting human SOULs. “This isn’t a normal thing?” You cautiously ask.

“He hasn’t visited since I first s-started here.” Alphys fumbles with a few sugar packets, “But M-mettaton has been hinting about the new upgrades on his s-show! So, I guess he wants to see w-what I have been up to h-himself.”

“Ah. That doesn’t sound so bad.” You lean against the counter as Alphys gulps down her tea.

“It’s a little… nerve wracking.” Her mug is tossed into the sink and then she’s off, “Oh my god I have to clean this place up I can’t believe it got so bad-”

It’s not that bad, though. Most of the clutter is from her work, and wouldn’t that just show the king how hard his royal scientist has been working? You watch as Alphys shoves stacks of paper together. Then again…

This is royalty we’re talking about. You place the half full mug of soup into the sink. Maybe this place could use a good sweep… Alphys shoots you a grateful look as you go in search of a broom.

“So, who used this place before you anyway?” You ask, opening a pantry door and grinning in relief when you see a relatively new broom sitting there.

“The last royal scientist…” Alphys starts wiping down her worktable.

“And what happened to them?” Why does Frisk need more information about them is what you want to ask. Inwardly, you curse your curiosity. You’ve had this conversation with Flowey before- whatever Alphys says, you’re soon going to regret ever asking.

“W-well, I’m not sure…” She thoughtfully hums, “He, well, basically created the core with just a small team of scientists. I-it powers the whole underground! B-but, one day, they died. A… a shame, really. I w-wish I could have met him. Sometimes, I get jealous of, of, well, Sans. He br-briefly worked with him, I think.”

“You think?” How hard is it really to remember something like this? You wish you don't feel as awkward around Sans as you do. Then maybe you would be able to ask him about Frisk’s interest in the previous royal scientist.

Ever since Flowey confirmed that Sans is aware of what Frisk can do, and that you don't really belong down here, it's been hard to talk to him. Even over text. Especially when he asks stupid questions like “how was your day” and “whats your fave season”. It's unnerving, his ability to pretend that everything's normal.

“N-no one really remembers?” The royal scientist shrugs, “I- I barely remember that there was a royal scientist before me, s-sometimes!”

Together the two of you manage to get the place into an acceptable, if not pristine, level of cleanliness. You collapse on a chair with an exaggerated groan and wheel yourself back towards the kitchen. Alphys perches on top of her worktable and furiously texts on her phone. In what feels like forever, but is actually maybe ten minutes, there’s a polite knock on the sliding doors.

A large, menacing figure stumbles forward in surprise when the doors open under his heavy fist. A deep voice rumbles, “Golly, I always forget about that!”

“A-asgore!” Alphys hops down and rushes over. You hang back by the kitchen, phalanges gripping the arms of the chair for a split second before pushing yourself up.

Sliding your hands into the pockets of your pants, you cautiously follow after Alphys. She is hovering around the king, nervously speaking at a fast rate. Judging by the look on his face, he can’t make any sense of it.

King Asgore… the portraits paint a very different monster. He’s a large one, a full head taller than Toriel, with gentle brown eyes and a flowing golden mane. A polished suit of armor rests on his large frame- it looks rarely used. For ceremonial purposes, perhaps? Physically, he is what you expect. But the expression in his eyes… there is no pride, or anger. Just sadness. He looks up as you draw closer, and an equally sad smile graces his muzzle.

“Howdy.” He offers a paw.

You stare at it in confusion for a split second before you utter a quick, “Oh!” and hastily draw an arm out. The entirety of his palm envelopes your hand and halfway up your wrist, but his grip is gentle as the two of you shake hands.

“Good afternoon, your majesty.” You utter.

“You must be Alphys’ new assistant. My captain of the guard seems quite fond of you.” He chuckles at the flabbergasted expression on your face.

“Undyne said nice things about me?”

“Well, she does use confusing vocabulary at times…” King Asgore trails off, “But she assures me that ‘moocher’ is an affectionate term between friends.”

Oh. That sounds a bit more like Undyne. As you flounder for a response, Alphys laughs, a high pitched sound that has you incredulously staring at her. She covers her snout with a quiet “Eep!”. Only when Asgore releases your hand do you realize he was still holding it. You fight off a blush and stuff your hand back inside the safety of your pocket.

The king looks between the two of you, slightly confused before he rumbles at Alphys, “So, please tell me- what have you been up to?” As the two of them wander off to the worktable, your phone beeps.

Sans (1:15 PM): is it aster

You (1:16 PM): Is what Aster.

Sans (1:16 PM): you know your name

You (1:16 PM): I’m not speaking to you or Frisk about this.

Sans (1:17 PM): aw cmon throw us a bone here

You (1:17 PM): Shouldn’t you be working.

Sans (1:17 PM): et tu paprutus

Not for the first time, you consider blocking the shorter skeleton’s number.

“Boy, am I glad you’re getting back into the swing of things! I was getting worried.” Asgore’s booming laugh echoes around the lab. You look over to see the king bending over a pile of paperwork, reading through several reports.

“Y-yeah, Bones really helped out!” Alphys beams over at you. Asgore looks over as well with a pleased expression on his face. His eyes meet yours and you duck your head, inwardly cursing the heat on your cheekbones.

“I am sorry for taking so long to pay you a visit.” Asgore pats Alphys’ head before straightening up. “And for only paying a short visit. We must have tea soon. Of course, you are invited as well Bones.”

“T-thanks!” You squeak as the king, the king of all monsters, pats your shoulder and leaves the lab.

How is it that the monster who declared war on humans and wants their SOULs… feels so warm and different than the ice queen that lives in the ruins to protect said humans? Without realizing it, you have your arms crossed around like you’re trying to hug yourself and Alphys is giving you a shrewd look.

“What?” You snap.

“Heheh, it’s okay, Bones.” Alphys sighs.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I think he’s dreamy too.”

“Argh!” You cover your face with your hands.

Alphys just laughs at you.


	15. You Think You'd Make A Great King of Thieves

“Aaaaaaaaaah!”

“Alphys, stop it.”

“B-but! Oh my GOD!” 

“We’ve been over this- I don’t have a crush on-”

“But is it okay if I write a story about it?”

“What?!”

“I’m thinking a parody of ‘The Thief and the Cobbler’.”

You shake off the disturbing image of Asgore cosplaying as Princess Yum-Yum and glare at the scientist. She nervously giggles and looks up at the ceiling. 

“You need better hobbies.”

The two of you are hanging out on the upper floor of the lab. Today is an ‘off’ day- Alphys basically has the day off, and to an extent, you do too. As usual, the lizard monster is frantically typing on her phone, laying on her stomach in her bed. You are on a well used beanbag chair, thumbing through a copy of “Arabian Nights”. 

“Well…” Alphys trails off, though her thumbs never stop, “What are your hobbies then? A-all you do really is h-hover over me, r-read, and play music.”

“Really? That’s not enough for you? Perhaps I should sneak into the king’s castle and take something. Make life exciting again.”

“No, no! Don’t do that- you’ve been d-doing so w-well!” At Alphys’ genuine display of concern, you give her a small smile and shake your head.

“If writing stories about me makes you happy, go for it. I guess.” 

“A-and you won’t judge me?”

“No promises.” You return to the book. All is well for the next few minutes, and you’re absorbed in the story until Alphys nervously clears her throat. Ignoring this, you stare harder at the text. She clears her throat again. When you glance up, she is bright pink and fidgeting with one of her pillows. “What?”

“Hypothetically… if I broke into a castle, and was a thief… what would I steal?”

“Do you really need an answer for that?” You ask, because that question is kind of ridiculous. 

“It- It’s to get a feel for your character!” Alphys defends herself, “There are- SO MANY things you can s-steal from a castle, right?”

“Are we talking a homeless pickpocket sort of thief, or like, a king of thieves?” You ask.

“Umm…” Alphys thinks hard, “W-well, I was sort of thinking-”

“It’d be neat if I were a king of thieves. With a gang to do my bidding.”

“Y-yeah, but I was thinking of doing a one shot!” Alphys says, “A-and adding in so many characters for your gang- It would, it would complicate things! We… we might be looking at a few chapters, at least!”

“But.. get this. Papyrus can be my shoulder parrot.” You grin as Alphys frowns.

“If you want a shoulder parrot, you can w-write your own story!” She huffs and returns to her phone.

“SQUAWK, DO THE RIGHT THING. SQUAAAAWK.” Doing your best to mimic Papyrus, you know you succeeded when Alphys drops her phone and buries her face into the mattress. You can hear her muffled giggling. 

“But, for story purposes, I just might go for the crown. Make a name for myself.” You think out loud, “I mean, that's got to give me a lot of street cred.”

“It’s the perfect way to introduce the two of you!” Alphys sounds happy enough with the idea.

You never thought you’d see a day where you’re encouraging a friend to write a story about you being shipped with a king. But here you are. Sighing, you drop your eyes towards the phone on your lap. It’s approaching evening. Frisk should be stopping by in just a few hours. 

“Be right back!” Alphys suddenly chirps. She hops to the floor and rushes off. You stare as she disappears downstairs. Well… that was sudden. Everything is explained, however, when the familiar sound of the front doors opening reach your ear canals. 

A visitor. Kind of odd, considering Alphys usually tells you when she’s expecting someone. But she’s entitled to some privacy, right? Let her deal with whoever’s visiting. If she needs you, she can just call.

“You needed to ask something of me, Alphys?” Wait, was that Mettaton? Closing your book, you sneak towards the edge of the ‘loft’ that overlooks the main floor of the lab. Peeking over the edge, you see the robot star with his arms crossed over his chest, an expression of boredom spread across his metallic face.

Well, this is new. It seems Alphys not only upgraded his batteries, but, well… everything. Instead of the rectangular calculator you are accustomed to seeing, a rather… voluptuous figure took its place. Broad shoulders, flat chest, and… you squint. Damn. Those hips don’t lie. You’re not sure if the final result is Mettaton’s idea, or hails from Alphys’ love of all things bishounen. Probably a mixture of both. 

“Y-yeah. Remember the h-human I was talking about?” Alphys whispers, wringing her hands.

“Of course I do, darling.” Mettaton flutters his eyelashes at her, “And I must say, it has been quite a challenge not to mention their existence to my adoring fans. As a responsible news anchor, I-”

“A-and I really appreciate it!” Alphys interrupts, “Thing is… the human- I, I saw them a-approaching the lab. T-they’ll probably visit soon!”

Mettaton claps his hands together, “How marvelous!”

“W-well…” Alphys falters, “I- I really want to help them! T-they seem so nice, and m-made a lot of friends..”

“I see.” Mettaton taps a heeled boot against the floor, “And you’ll want to make friends too, of course.”

“I- I was thinking…” Alphys sounds a lot more nervous than usual. She looks around the lab suspiciously for a moment before grabbing Mettaton’s arm and leading him farther away from your vantage point. “M-maybe, if you g-gave them a challenge, and I h-help them! They’ll want to be my friend, too!”

“My, my… How deceitful of you.” Mettaton purrs, “Color me impressed.”

“No, no, no!” Alphys shakes her head, “I-it’s not like that!”

“Whatever you say, darling. As long as my efforts can be broadcasted, I’ll play along with your little game.” Mettaton leans over Alphys, his smile reminding you of a cheshire cat’s. 

From then on all you hear are the two of them whispering. A bit too late for that, isn’t it Alphys? You’ve already heard too much.

And, shit. You don’t like where this is going at all. It seems Frisk’s plan to sneak into the lab is in jeopardy. You back away and towards the beanbag where you left your phone. Grabbing it, you quickly type out a message to Frisk.

You (7:07 PM): Abort mission.

Frisk (7:07 PM): What? I can’t.

You (7:07 PM): Just trust me on this.

When they don’t reply, you sigh and shake your head. Stubborn child… You collapse on the beanbag. It creaks under your weight.

“Uh, B-bones?” Alphys calls out.

You close your eyes and concentrate on breathing. In. Out. Rinse and repeat. “Alphys.” You loudly reply, “You do know that I pretty much heard everything, right?”

“Oh, shoo-!” Alphys must’ve bumped into something, as you hear several things crashing to the ground. Several moments later, she rushes to your side.

“Alphys, what the hell are you thinking.” You hiss at her.

“I- I just…” She falters.

“I mean, I know you know about how me, Sans, Papyrus… even Undyne- we all know the human right? That giant monitor downstairs that broadcasts everything they’re doing… just because I didn’t ask about it doesn’t mean I don’t know what it is. You’ve been watching ever since they’ve arrived, right?” You throw your hands in the air, “If you wanted to meet Frisk, why didn’t you just ask?!”

“Because I want to meet them on my own merit!” Alphys snaps back, “You- they approached you and saved you from getting caught! Sans was the first monster to greet them in Snowdin! Papyrus got to test his puzzles with them! And Undyne- she got to fight them! Maybe… I want my own, unique, introduction too!”

“Are you kidding me?!”

“It’s just… kind of disappointing, after seeing all they went through, only to have you or Undyne bring them over and I just… s-shake their ha-hand.” Alphys shrinks into herself.

“So you’d prefer it to be under false pretenses?”

“N-no! But I don’t know what else I can do!”

Before you can respond, the doors slide open yet again. You give Alphys an irritated look, which she simply shrugs at. 

“It’s… it’s not Mettaton.” She quietly says, “He w-went somewhere else…in the lab.”

“What, like hiding behind the fridge? There's nowhere for him to hide!”

“I'll explain later!” Alphys glances towards the stairs, “P-please… let me have this…”

“...Fine.” You pinch the bridge of your nasal cavity and lean further back into the beanbag. 

“B-bones?”

“Go. Make your entrance. I'll be up here.” The atmosphere between the two of you has drastically changed. Just a few minutes earlier, there was such an easy camaraderie. Now you’re tense and her stature is back to uneasy and nervous. There may be no recovering from this… this… Why does your mind want to call this treachery?

Is it really like that? It’s not like she dreamt up this little scheme to somehow offend you. Hell, if she asked you to help out instead of Mettaton, you just may have went along with it. And make it so that Frisk would be able to find the reports they need to move along in their mission, and Alphys would have made a good impression. That’s what friends do, right? 

You feel too old for this all of a sudden. It’s fine, you decide.There’s no reason for you to get involved with this anyway. As you sulk, Alphys scurries back downstairs. You hear her stutter a greeting. Frisk’s response sounds a lot more subdued than usual. Alarm bells go off in your skull.

Very much reluctantly, you go back to the edge of the loft. You watch as Alphys takes Frisk’s phone and rushes off to her worktable. You take in the pale color of Frisk’s skin- it looks almost waxy under the lab’s lights. Their head is tilted down. Breathing unsteady. Shit, the kid is even worse than yesterday.

Don’t get involved, Bones.

Mettaton bursts from a wall in a colorful explosion of party streamers and glitter. He went back to his more rectangular form, you make note. Game Show music erupts from all corners of the lab. Frisk stumbles back, almost losing their balance. 

“Beauties and Gentlebeauties!” Mettaton sings, waving his noodly arms in an excited manner, “Welcome to tonight’s quiz show! Please, give a hand to our newest contestant-” 

Frisk blows their nose into the sleeve of their sweater. They sway slightly as the overgrown calculator begins to explain the rules. You shrink back from the sight.

 

Don’t get involved.


	16. Attack of the Killer Robot

_ Shoot shoot shoot. I really got him mad! Somehow, I’ll make this up to him… but for now, I have to concentrate! Help the human, become a heroine- just like in my anime! _ Alphys really wishes she had more time to prepare herself for the human’s arrival. The original plan was to step out of the elevator just as they approach the other end of the lab… she installed motion detectors and everything just to get the timing right! In her excitement she forgot the teensy weensy detail of keeping you busy while she convinced Mettaton to go along with her plan. But so what if you overheard everything? She trusts that you will stay upstairs. It’s not like anything dangerous is going to happen, right?

So she’s not too startled when Mettaton bursts through the wall. It’s… it’s going to be something else to explain away why she’s going to need that repaired later though. It is surprising, however, when the child clutches her labcoat and tries to hide behind her. Why would they do such a thing? Throughout their entire journey through the underground, Frisk faced every challenge head on! Why is their behavior different now?

“Never played before, gorgeous? Now, now, this isn’t the time to be shy!” Undeterred by Frisk’s reluctance, Mettaton loops an arm around the small figure and tugs them away. Alphys winces when the human almost loses their balance the moment Mettaton releases their grip. “No problem! It’s simple! There’s only one rule- answer correctly, or you die!”

Sudden darkness envelopes the lab, and Alphys is briefly annoyed (when did Mettaton have the opportunity to mess around with the lighting) before spotlights brighten the area again. The royal scientist squints as an unaffected Mettaton takes out a few cue cards and begins reading.

“Let’s start with an easy one!” Mettaton cheerfully beeps, “What is the prize for answering correctly?”

Behind Mettaton, several choices are displayed on a monitor. How in the world he managed this, Alphys may never know. The robot is a basket case full of mysteries. A quick glance and she knows the answer. She quickly forms a few claws into the form of a “D”, Ever a clever child, Frisk follows what she’s doing. A small, raspy voice says “D.”

… Are humans supposed to sound like that

The game show continues with Mettaton asking question after question with Alphys ‘sneakily’ providing the answers. Everything seems to be going well… that is, until the robotic star brings up Mew Mew Kissy Cutie. Her most favorite thing ever. Of course she starts speaking up!

“Alphys, Alphys, Alphys…” Mettaton purrs, “Are you helping our contestant? Oooh, you should have told me! I have a question that you surely know the answer to!”

Frisk wipes at their nose, which is looking a bit too red for a human, now that she thinks about it. Alphys is pretty sure that’s a sign of a cold or something. She sees it everywhere in her shows and books. Especially the romance ones, where the tall, dark, and handsome stranger has to nurse their love back to full health! Oh, that reminds her- she needs to text Undyne about getting that manga back, she’s been dying to reread the part where-

“Who does Dr. Alphys have a crush on?” Mettaton’s sly voice cuts through her thoughts. Alphys jumps, eyes wide as she looks at the screen.

Oh no. No no no no no!

It’s one of those questions, where every answer is technically correct. Mettaton asked it just to embarrass her! She glares at the robot, who is busy trying to project innocence. But Alphys knows better. 

Frisk’s forehead furrows as they carefully eye each choice. Mettaton watches on, too amused to actually give a countdown. Alphys just wants to die on the spot. Finally, Frisk smiles a little and answers “C.”

“Correct!” Mettaton gushes, “As a matter of fact, I’ve come across some rather… steamy bodice rippers that star a swashbuckling skeleton kidnapping fair royal scientists in his lust for uh-” Mettaton clears his non-existent throat, “Treasure.”

If there is a god, may Alphys be turned to dust at this very moment. Or, at the very least, you aren’t listening in. Otherwise she may never be able to look into your eye sockets again.

“H-hey, what does that have to do with-” She protests.

“Well, with our dear Dr. Alphys helping, there’s no dramatic tension.” Mettaton pouts, effectively cutting Alphys off, “We certainly can’t go on like this. But! This is just the pilot! Stay tuned, darlings, for more drama! Romance! Bloodshed! Until next time!”

Then, clearly not following the manual Alphys gave him, Mettaton jetpacks out of the lab. At least, Alphys figures, he goes through the entrance and not the roof. 

“He… seems nice…” Frisk mutters.

“Y-yeah!” Alphys replies, “That was… something else, alright.” She blushes. “Sorry about that- he wasn’t supposed to ask that last question.”

Frisk shrugs and smiles before slowly turning and walking away. The lizard monster watches for a moment, before stuttering, “W-wait! Let’s trade numbers! Th-then, ma-maybe, if you need help, I can-” Her eyes widen as Frisk pulls out a large cellphone. 

And here she thought your phone was the oldest thing she’s ever seen! This phone looked like it could be used like a brick, it’s so large and clunky. And… were those just numbers? Nothing for texting?!

“Th-this is so ancient!” She grabs the hideous device away from Frisk and runs off with it, “I- I’ll upgrade this for you!”

Seconds pass. Frisk concentrates on staying upright. “Pft. The woman has no appreciation for antiques.” A familiar voice drifts down, and Frisk looks up to see you peering down at them.

“I guess.” They reply.

“You look like shit from up here.” You solemnly inform them, “Maybe think about resting a bit before you meet up with the robot again?”

“It’s not like I’m in any real danger…” Even if the suggestion is tempting, they still have to go on!

“Yeah, I know all about that little plan of hers.” Glaring, you nod your head towards Alphys, who is doing unspeakable things to Frisk’s phone. “Still don’t think this is a good idea.”

Sometimes, it’s just frustrating to talk to you. Frisk is very fond of you, and knows in time you’ll be one of their closest friends. But they can’t tell you the whole plan, or what steps they need to take in order to accomplish everything. Like everyone else, it’s best to keep you in the dark.

You don’t know that they’re usually in and out of the underground in under a week. It’s been a month. Frisk is tired of taking things slow. No matter how tempting it may be to wait until they’re not sick anymore… they can’t. They’ve made everyone wait for way too long.

Access to the real lab, the one hidden with a bathroom sign, is needed. And if the only way to get that access is to befriend Alphys, then that’s what’s going to happen. Even if they have to fight Mettaton on live TV to do it.

“H-here! I gave it texting, item storage, and access to the undernet so that maybe- we can be friends! Yeah!” Alphys laughs, claws trembling as she pushes the phone into Frisk’s hands. Frisk jumps at this, not even noticing that she came back. They stare down at it, the screen looking a bit blurry. Frisk blinks, and their vision returns to normal. 

“Thanks.”

“N-no problem!”

The two stare at each other for several tense minutes. Frisk, because they aren’t sure they can walk right now without banging into something, and Alphys because, well, she’s Alphys. She nervously chuckles and scratches the back of her neck, opening her mouth to say something, but you once again interject from above.

“So, Alphys…”

“Oh dear god.” Alphys whispers, blushing yet again. 

“How is it that you can write me as a pirate…” You continue, drumming your digits against the railing, “But you are reluctant to make me a king of thieves?”

“IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE A ONE SHOT!” Alphys yells, clearly torn on defending her honor or just expiring on the spot, “I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.” Before Frisk can blink, she’s gone.

“Truth is…” You muse, “I’d make a terrible pirate. I get seasick way too easily.”

When Alphys shows no sign of returning, Frisk goes on their way, leaving you hanging out upstairs. Alone. With nothing but your phone to keep you company. 

This outcome happens a lot, doesn’t it?

You trudge downstairs. A glance at the large monitor shows Frisk sluggishly walking through Hotland. It seems the elevators are down, so they’re stuck going the long way. Watching just makes you feel useless, so you head over to the elevator (she called it a bathroom?) and lightly knock on the door. No response. Well, it’s probably better that way. You don’t want to continue arguing with her. 

Your phone rings. It’s an actual phone call, which is surprising. Normally everyone texts you. But there’s no recognizing the number. Hesitantly, you answer with a soft, “Hello?”

“Hello!” Mettaton sing songs into your ear canal. You visibly twitch. “How’d you like the premiere of my new show?”

“I don’t know…” You reply, “Could’ve used a bit more dancing.”

“My, aren’t we a clever one?” Mettaton laughs, “I’m sure you’ll appreciate my upcoming segments, then.”

“Why did you call me? How’d you get my number?” You ask, not in the mood to continue exchanging pleasantries.

“Right to the point. I like that!” Mettaton lowers his voice, “I am sure you overheard my and Alphys’ little conversation shortly before our guest showed up. It has come to my attention that you don’t… approve of our mutual friend’s desires?”

“Oh no. You caught me.” You roll your eyes as you make your way out of the lab. It’s no good staying there- just knowing what Alphys is up to makes you feel twitchy and useless.

“Yes, well, that is what you’re good at. Getting. Caught.” Ouch, that hurt. Also, everyone down here is way too gossipy for your peace of mind. “I just wanted to clear the air between us, and ensure that you won’t be… interfering.” 

“I already told Alphys to go ahead. I don’t want anything to do with this load of-” You angrily bark, and Mettaton tuts at you. Hesitating at the doorway, you decide to make your way to Waterfall. Maybe the sound of rushing water will help calm you.

“Such language! This is a family friendly show, darling.” He reproaches you. 

“Back off.” You growl, “And just maybe I’ll do the same.”

“I’m so glad we’re on the same page.”

The line goes dead. The grip on your phone tightens.

“I don’t trust that robot.” You mutter.

Sans is at his station selling hot dogs when you near the divide between Hotland and Waterfall. His easy grin and slouched form does little to ease your nerves.

“hey antiqua.” He greets you. 

“Would you stop that?” You snap. Normally you’d let it slide… what’s the big deal, really? But right now, with everything that’s going on- you’re not equipped to deal with the teasing. If he is taken aback by your mood, he doesn’t show it. “What’s with this little game you and Frisk are playing, huh?”

“what game?”

“You two, trying to guess a stupid name.” Glaring, you slam a fist on the counter. Sans lazily eyes it. “‘Bones’ is just as much, if not more, my real name than… than…”

“than?” Sans presses, eye sockets momentarily intense, but you shake your head.

“Forget it. It’s pointless.” What’ll happen if he ever stumbles upon the right name? Nothing, that’s what. He shouldn’t care. Frisk shouldn’t care. Impact certainly didn’t.  

“you’re a little touchy today.” He observes, “what’s up with that?”

“I found out,” You grump, “that I don’t like robots.”

Sans snorts in amusement, and doesn’t bother doing anything to stop you when you grab a hotdog from his cart. As you angrily bite into it, he shifts from leaning on one elbow to the other. “is that all?”

“Nope, but you’re not getting anything else from me.” 

“fair enough.” He winks at you, “heh, maybe one day you’ll let that guard of yours down and tell me something about yourself.”

“What? I tell Frisk stories about me all the time. They didn’t tell you any of them?” You protest.

“nope. kid’s pretty good at keeping someone’s confidence.” Sans shrugs, “‘sides, it’s not the same. it’s gotta come straight from the horse’s mouth.”

And there’s that uneasy silence again. The one where you’re uncomfortably aware that he knows about Frisk and the resets, but doesn’t know you know he knows, and also doesn’t know that you know about resets too. Damn, but you really need to remember to talk to Frisk about this whole thing again. Things would be a lot simpler if everyone can be out in the open.

Maybe then you can find an explanation for keeping this whole thing a secret in the first place. So what if you’re from the surface? It’s not like that’ll change their situation now. They’ll- Sans, that is, will just have to accept it and move on, right?

But… what if he decides to resent you instead? For being able to see the sky for most of your life. For living a life of petty thievery and living from day to day with no better plan than what you’re going to eat tomorrow. While he and his brother are stuck down here, working their butts off in a space that, as Alphys once mentioned, is rapidly becoming too small for their population, you had an entire world up there. 

And you squandered it.

A skeletal hand waves a few inches from your face and you blink. “hey, you okay there?” 

“No.” You sulk, “Shut up.”

“eat your ‘dog, pal. i’m sure things’ll get better.” 

You do your best to ignore him while you finish off your meal. When he nonchalantly pushes another towards you, you glare and eat that one too. A relative calm washes over your tense form, making you frown. The other skeleton used some of his magic on you, you’re sure, by infusing it in the hotdog. You must look a lot more upset than you think, if the lazy skeleton bothered to do that much.

“your phone’s ringing.” Sans comments with a yawn. Well, so it is. 

Reluctantly checking the device, your eye sockets widen. “It’s Alphys.”

“so?” 

“She never actually calls. Just texts.” Numbly, you bring the phone to the side of your face, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know what to do! Mettaton won’t open the door and they’re fighting and I can’t see what’s going on-!”

“Shit.” You breathe. Sans gives you a funny look, but doesn’t comment. “Where are you?”

“B-backstage, the MTT Resort. What- what should I do?!”

“Hold on, I’ll be right there.”

“The- the elevators are working n-now! T-take the ones b-by the-”

“I know.” You hang up. 

“duty calls.” Sans observes.

“Later, Sans.”

“bye, gothic.” 

_ I wonder what happened to ‘don’t get involved’. Bones, you stupid shit, what are you getting yourself into? _ What started as a small, wiggling thought in the back of your skull became a roaring protest the closer to get to resort. The elevator ride is a tense, uncomfortable affair all by itself. Just like on the surface, bland background music echoes around the empty box, ringing through your ear canals in a fruitless endeavor to distract you. What it really does, however, is inspire the feeling of the walls closing in on you. Covering your eye sockets help make the feeling go away. When the elevator finally stops, you burst through the doors, ignoring a surprised yelp as you push past a monster in a business suit. 

Years of running, whether from angry homeowners or abusive foster families, gives you the benefit of not even tiring as you sprint towards the hotel, even with the sweltering heat. The building itself is large, larger than anything you’ve ever seen since you’ve been trapped here. Still not as big as the ones in Ebott, but it’s not like there’s much room to build up. The doors slide open as you run through, clipping your sides. It stings, but you ignore that in favor of spotting a ginger cat monster smoking off to the side.

“You!” You shout, and approach. The cat inhales his cigarette, ears flattening in a way that means he’s annoyed. But you don’t really care about his feelings at the moment. “Where’s the stage?”

“Can’t you see I’m on a break?” He shoots back, “I’m not wasting what little time I have to give a tourist directions.”

“Please?” You ask, and he sighs and jerks his head towards the back.

“Just go through the doors there. Follow the signs.” He rolls his eyes, “Don’t you dare tell anyone I told you this, though. We’re not supposed to let people- Hey!” You’re already halfway through the second set of doors.

A long hallway littered with posters and props leads you down, down, down- all the way until you can hear muffled shouting. “Alphys?” You call out, and the noise stops.

“B-bones?” Alphys calls back, “H-how did you get here so fast?!"

When you finally catch up to the royal scientist, you take in the scene. She’s crouching down in front of a control panel- presumably the one that controls the door right by it. Wires and circuitry are hanging out, loose. Alphys herself looks exhausted. She must’ve run here too.

“What’s going on? I thought Mettaton was going along with your plan.” You watch as she fiddles with a wire.

“I- I thought so too!” She replies, “B-but, it seems that… he wanted the human’s SOUL all to him- himself! And I… I can’t get this door open!”

You look the door over. It looks like a simple, metal door. Akin to the ones in the lab. It’s probably, by itself, a plan sheet of steel, but it’s backed up with magical reinforcements. You won’t be able to open it without having the ‘key’. And as brilliant as Alphys is…

It seems Mettaton is just a bit more clever.

“Does Mettaton have… like… a killswitch or something?” You ask.

“What?!” Alphys shouts, “No, of course not!”

“I meant something that’ll turn him off. Temporarily.” You are quick to amend.

“N-no…” She takes her glasses off her snout and wipes at them with a handkerchief. “B-before his upgrades, he would’ve… ran out of batteries by now! But- he's lasting for so long! He went to his new form, as a way to show off to his fans, I… I guess, Oh no, oh no no no… This is… SO dangerous!”

In an effort not to feel useless, you push against the door. It doesn’t budge. “Yeah, I can see that.”

“B-bones, when this is done, I owe… so many apologies.” Shit, she looks like she’s about to cry. “I just w-wanted…” 

Damn. Shouldn’t you feel vindicated right now? Why do you only feel sorry for the yellow monster?

“Let’s fix this first.” You snap, shaking your thoughts off, and she clamps her jaw shut.

“R-right… I’m going to see if I can short circuit the panel here, and maybe that’ll reset the locks-” An exploding sound comes through the door, making the two of you cringe. You hope Frisk is alright. 

“No more explaining- just do it.” You tell her, and she dives back into the panel.

While she works, you examine the door and it’s surroundings. The wall itself… maybe it doesn’t have reinforcements? You test this out, letting a spark of your own magic reach out. It meets no resistance.

“Alphys… maybe if we just blast the wall around the door?” You ask.

“Umm, that could work! B-but… my magic… it isn’t very- stable.” 

“Same…” You admit, “But we have to try, right?”

“H-hold on…” Alphys reaches into the panel again. Once she’s elbow deep (how thick are these walls?) her expression brightens and she tugs out a large, circular disk. “A b-battery. It’s one of the ones that I didn’t upgrade yet…” She explains, and proceeds to slap it on the wall besides the door. It sticks.

“The ones that explode?” You take a cautious step back. She nods and does the same. A single claw is pointed at the battery.

“O-okay, this should do i-it…” Narrowing her eyes, a single spark of yellow escapes the clawtip and strikes the battery.

It only takes a second, but it feels like forever. The battery explodes, and in a wave of dust and debris, the path to the stage is clear. There’s a ringing in your ear canals and not much else, but you can make out Mettaton closing in on Frisk, who is clutching a bleeding arm. They aren’t standing. Their red SOUL is flying back and forth in distress.

“M-Mettaton! S-stop it!” Alphys yelps.

You don’t wait to see if he responds. Instead, you find yourself right on that stage, between human and robot. How you even got there so quickly you're not sure. But that doesn't matter 

“Out of the way, Darling.” Mettaton smirks, canting one hip to the side.

“Back off.” You snarl, but he only chuckles and takes another step forward 

The pocketknife is in your hand before you know it and you just… slash. The robot gasps. The two of you look down.

You managed to hit his midsection, which, as far as you remember, is nothing but soft gelatin that aids the robot’s movements. The attack doesn't actually hurt him, but maybe the shock of it will be enough…

“Bones…” Frisk whispers. You grab their sleeve and tug them towards a stunned Alphys.

“Move.” You order, but freeze when you hear Mettaton laugh.

“You can’t even fight me, Monster to Monster?” He slides a hand down to his midsection, tracing the shallow cut. It seals up almost instantly. “Really, Bones? Tsk, tsk. I’ll try not to be too offended.” He extends his other arm, palm facing up. A bomb materializes. “The show’s almost over! Let’s reveal the dramatic conclusion!”

“Bones- I can’t load.” Frisk whispers so that you can only hear.

“What?” You numbly ask.

“I- I don’t know why. But- it’s not there. The button’s not there. We can’t die like this!”

Before you can make sense of what the child is saying, Mettaton tosses the explosive device at the two of you. Your shield is up before you can blink and the bomb goes off, rattling against your magic. It probably won’t be able to take another hit. You muster what little control you have to help strengthen them. At the same time, Frisk is tugging at the back of your sweater, guiding the two of you towards Alphys.

“Ah, so you can use your magic in battle. And here I was, wondering…” Mettaton taunts.

“This guy’s an ass.” You say.

“He’s not… usually like this…” Frisk defends. You make a disbelieving noise in the back of your throat. “No, really.”

“Catch, darlings!” 

Oh, goodie. Another bomb. It sails through the air and shatters your weakened shield like glass. You stand in front of Frisk, inwardly cursing at this sudden overprotective urge that overcomes you. The explosion that blasts through hits you, hard. 

Frisk yells, Alphys screams. There’s a shocked, guilty expression on Mettaton’s face. In the background, you hear a muffled, “You IDIOTS” before a searing pain erupts from the right side of your skull. 

You blackout before you hit the ground.

 


	17. The Blood of the Covenant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of talking happens. Also, backstory.

_“They’re gonna be wonderin’ where you are.” Impact grunts over the makeshift campfire. A pan is in his hands, the kind that’s probably older than he is. You eye the contents in it warily, not quite sure if it’s actually safe to eat._

_“Who’s they?”_

_“The government. They always want to keep track, make sure everyone’s under their thumb.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small pouch. Inside is a fine, blue powder. “They get real pissy when hard workin’ families escape the radar. Especially family like us.” The powder is sprinkled into the food._

_“Why?” You ask. It doesn’t make any sense. Your mom and dad were just hard working people, making a living just like the rest at the lab._

_“We know things, sonnie. Things you aren’t even aware that you know yet.” Impact dumps the food into an old, cracked bowl and thrusts it at you. “But don’t you worry, I’ll take care of everything. Now eat up.”_

_“What was that powder?” You ask._

_Impact laughs. “Yer a curious one. Just like your dad. It’s a special powder- lets us skeletons eat human food. Shouldn’t change the taste none.”_

_You trust him. He’s your uncle, after all. Who can you trust if not family? So, five year old you takes the offered food and swallows every bit of it. You try to ignore the weird, chalky taste._

_You get used to it soon enough._

“The cracks should heal up fine. Minimal scarring- the one that went across his socket might always be visible though. Everything should still flow through his mana lines easy enough. What… whatever it was that clogged his magic up… Sans conjured up some medication that’ll slowly dissipate it… so that it won’t be such a shock. Whoever did this to him… they need to be found. Who knows who else they might’ve hurt?” It’s Alphys, you know. Who is she talking about?

“Never mind that! Where’s that dumb frikking robot?! I’m going to DESTROY HIM!” Oh wow. Undyne sounds angry.

“N-NOW, UNDYNE, I AM SURE METTATON DID NOT MEAN TO HARM OUR FRIEND SO BADLY.” Papyrus?

“That’s BULLSHIT and you KNOW IT. We all saw it on TV!”

“U-undyne! Please- I’m trying to keep a re-recording of my n-notes!” Alphys again. She sounds like she’s barely keeping it together. “A-and… no one will be seeing Mettaton for a- a long while! S-something tore his l-limbs off and I h-have to repair…”

“NO! He needs to SUFFER for this. I can’t believe…. NGAH! Why did he-?!”

“UNDYNE. YOU DO NOT MEAN WHAT YOU JUST SAID.” Papyrus sternly says.

A couple seconds pass.

“...You’re right. I’m sorry, Papyrus.” Undyne sounds defeated. “But he did, in fact, attack a fellow Monster. You see that, right? We can’t just… let this blow over.”

“I KNOW. I ALSO KNOW THAT, IN BRINGING METTATON TO JUSTICE, IT WOULD MEAN EXPOSING OUR HUMAN FRIEND TO THE KING.” Papyrus points out, “PERHAPS WE SHOULD FIND ANOTHER WAY?”

“H-he didn’t mean to h-hurt anyone. I saw the video… Bones’ shield… it was very strong.” Alphys whispers, “Mettaton thought that it would hold against another bomb. B-but, Bones lost concentration at the v-very worst possible moment.”

Oh, yeah. You remember that. Make a mental note here- playing hero is not good for one’s health. Let Frisk cover the whole ‘save the world’ thing.

“IS HE GOING TO WAKE UP SOON?” Papyrus frets, “IT… IT FEELS VERY NOT GOOD, WATCHING HIM JUST LAY THERE…”

“A-anytime now. He does need rest, though.” Alphys sighs.

Perhaps you should…? You try opening your eye sockets, but everything feels heavy. Weighted. Slowly, steadily, you draw your arm up to poke at your face. Bandages cover the right side of your skull, trailing down to cover your right eye socket. Your left appears uncovered, however.

“Hey, the nerd woke up!” Undyne’s delighted shout makes you wince.

“B-bones!” Alphys yelps, “D-don’t worry, your left eye’s fine- j-just, concentrate hard on lighting your pupil!” Oh. That’s why you can’t see. Guess everything shut down when you were knocked unconscious.

“Yeah, it’s kinda creepy… whenever Sans is sleeping, at least his eyelid… things… are closed. You just look like one of those skeletons from human horror films.” Undyne comments.

“IT IS NOT CREEPY.” Papyrus says, outraged, “IT IS PERFECTLY NATURAL AND SKELETON-LIKE!”

Ignoring their bickering, you concentrate on bringing your eyes back online, so to speak. It’s easier than what you’re used to- more fluid and natural. Before long you’re staring up at the lab’s ceiling in surprise. Alphys titters nervously at the astonished look on your face.

“B-bones, we’re going to t-talk about something v-very important- later!” She adjusts her glasses, “F-for now… d-don’t worry! You’ll be fine!” You turn your head to look at her, ignoring the sharp pain coming from your skull. The royal scientist looks so damn tired right now.

“H-how long…?” You rasp, moving to sit up.

“N-NYEH! WAIT A MOMENT!” Papyrus, quick as a whistle, is at your side. Gentle hands help you into position, pillows being shoved against the curve of your spine. Just like when you were sick, you remember. You ignore the dizziness your movements cause and look down at yourself. A hospital gown?

“Just a day.” Undyne says, and you spare her a glance. She has a reserved expression on her face. You suppose that’s to cover the worry you hear in her voice. “You’re kinda tough, punk.”

“Are you complimenting me? Dear god I died didn’t I?” You ask.

“No, no no no!” Alphys stutters, “Not at all! You’re just-”

“MILDLY INJURED.” Papyrus huffs, “HONESTLY, THERE IS NO NEED FOR DRAMATICS.” He shoots you a look. You can only shrug in response.

“W-where’s Frisk?” You suddenly gasp, looking around the room, “How did I get back to the lab?”

“I CARRIED YOU. SANS IS WITH THE HUMAN FOR NOW.” Papyrus tells you, fretful concern overtaking his features, “THE HUMAN DOES NOT LOOK WELL, BUT MY BROTHER SAYS THEY JUST HAVE A COLD.”

“H-humans tend to look worse than they actually are w-when they’re sick.” Alphys nods, “B-but Frisk was… inconsolable! I… I… I couldn’t help you because they wouldn’t leave your side! Sans h-had to use his m-magic to get them off you!”

“That was the most I’ve seen him do in weeks!” Undyne declares.

“WHICH REMINDS ME…” Papyrus trails off, “WOULD YOU MIND TERRIBLY IF I CALL THE HUMAN AND GIVE THEM THE ‘ALL CLEAR’ TO VISIT? THEY MADE ME PROMISE TO, AS SOON AS YOU WOKE UP.”

“No, I don’t mind.” You poke at the bandages. Alphys scowls and pushes your digits away. “It’ll be nice. I can make sure they’re okay, too.”

“INDEED!” Papyrus wipes his forehead, “HOW FORTUNATE. BECAUSE I SENT THEM A TEXT. THE MOMENT YOU WOKE UP, THAT IS.”

“BONES!” A shrill voice comes from downstairs.

“WOWIE! WHAT TIMING!”

“It’s Frisk.” Undyne peers down, “Hah! That’s hilarious, Sans!”

“i try. oomph! kiddo, what’s the rush?”

Footsteps pound up the stairs, and you spot Frisk, face red and desperate. Behind him is Sans, looking cool as a cucumber in comparison. Though he does a double take when he spots your features. The child jerks forward, and something jangles and clicks. Your gaze drifts downward and you have to huff in amusement.

It seems, in an effort to keep an eye on Frisk, Sans magicked a pair of handcuffs between them. When he sees you trying not to laugh, he grins wider and says, “i wanted to do one of those monkey backpack leash things, but they weren’t having it.”

“I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY.” Papyrus says as Sans dissipates the cuffs and Frisk darts toward you, “I LOOK BACK WITH FOND MEMORIES OF MY LEASH.”

“remember the time you almost strangled yourself while climbing up that tree?”

“GOOD TIMES, BROTHER.”

Frisk climbs onto the cot beside you and makes themself comfortable. You absentmindedly stroke their tangled hair. “Um, Alphys? Where are my clothes anyway?”

“O-oh!” Alphys blushes, “Th-they’re on the desk over there. O-once you’re up to it, you can redress. I- I wouldn’t recommend it until tomorrow though!”

“paps and i were thinking,” Sans interjects, “that you’ll come back to snowdin with us then too. seems this whole thing was a little too hot for the both of you to handle.”

“AND I’M SURE MOPSY MISSES YOU GREATLY.” Papyrus twiddles his thumbs, “IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO STAY WITH US.”

Mopsy… you’re not quite sure what she’ll think of this. The rabbit never misses Mettaton’s newest stuff, so there’s no doubt she watched the entire thing. And with her stance on not getting involved with this whole human business. You’re not sure you’ll be welcomed back at the inn. You don’t want to find out.

“I’ll be glad to stay with you guys.” You say, and Papyrus beams. Sans gives you a knowing look, but then turns his attention back to Alphys.

“so, what do we need to know?”

“I, er, don’t want Bones to be put on the s-spot…” Alphys starts, and gives you a look. You return hers with one of confusion.

“I’m not following?”

“B-bones… is there… well… a reason th-that…” Alphys trails off.

“She wants to know if you’re a runaway from an abusive home and that’s why we don’t know where the heck you came from.” Undyne finishes for her. Frisk stiffens and buries their head against your side. Guess they aren’t going to help.

“That’s… uh...” You stare up at the ceiling, “What kind of question is that, anyway?”

“W-when we were trying to get to Mettaton…” Alphys gulps, “Y-you said that you’re magic… it wasn’t very stable, right?”

“Yeah. It’s always been unpredictable.”

“W-well, I know mine’s that w-way, because I need a conduit, mostly, in o-order for things to work. Th-that’s why I’m really good with electronics, robots, and s-such. B-but, yours doesn’t work that way.”

“It should be working like Sans’ and Papyrus’.” Undyne growls, eye flashing. You shrink back from the gaze, and she looks away, looking chagrined.

“ALPHYS SAYS YOU HAVE A CLOG.” Papyrus says, “THAT SOUNDS VERY INCONVENIENT.”

“S-something’s t-there, that’s been… r-restricting your magic. In a b-big way!” Alphys shakes her head, “I- I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“i helped alph make something that’ll help get rid of the obstruction.” Sans sits on that old beanbag chair you’ve grown fond of, “but it would be awfully useful if we knew what caused it in the first place.”

“This… this is the first I’ve ever heard…” You whisper, thoughts spinning. Your magic isn’t supposed to be so flawed? How did this happen? When did it start? Trying to think back, you can’t remember anything that would…

“Bones.” Frisk quietly mutters, “That powder you sometimes put in your food? What is it?”

“W-what powder?” Alphys asks.

“Magic powder. It’s just… powder infused with magic. S’posed to help skeletons eat regular human food?” At least, that’s what your uncle has always told you.

“THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. SANS, WE DON’T NEED POWDER TO EAT HUMAN FOOD, RIGHT?”

“nope, bro. totally unnecessary.” Sans tenses, his smile quickly becoming less genuine.

Damn it, Impact.

“C-can I take a look at it?” Alphys timidly asks.

“My dufflebag?” You point in its general direction. Sans’ eye lights up and suddenly it’s right there on your lap. Sighing, you unzip the thing and rummage through. And there it is, the ziplock bag of the stuff. It’s odd to think that something you’ve possessed for years has been messing with your magic. You lift it up in the air and Sans again takes it. He disappears before you can blink. He didn’t even bother trying another name on you. You frown and try to squash down the disappointed feeling this causes.

“OH GEE.” Papyrus sweats.

“What’s wrong with him?” You ask bunching the sheets around you with your fists.

“HE’S, ER, REALLY UPSET. I THINK?”

“Y-yeah. Upset.” Alphys gulps. Undyne glowers at this. “It… It’s okay, Undyne. I deserved it.”

“He YELLED at Alphys.” The captain of the guard hisses, “Like she knew what Mettaton was up to! She thought he was a FRIEND.”

“ENOUGH.” Papyrus raises his voice, and Undyne scoffs, but quiets down. “BACK TO THE SITUATION AT HAND- IF THIS ‘MAGIC DUST’ IS THE CULPRIT, THEN WHO GAVE IT TO YOU?”

“Doesn’t matter.” You close your eye. Frisk clings tighter to you.

“What do you mean, it doesn’t matter?!” Undyne roars, “This stuff could’ve killed you! What kind of Monster would give this-”

“Doesn’t matter.” You firmly repeat yourself, “Because he Fell Down. Quite a while ago, actually.”

“Is… is there anyone else that could make it?” Alphys asks.

“Not that I’m aware of. He… he never trusted any other monster with… well, anything.” You mirthlessly chuckle, “He made that stuff himself. Never even let me see how he did it.”

“And you just let him FEED you this CRAP?! Without questioning ANYTHING?!” Undyne slams her fist into the closest wall.

Shit. You were supposed to be able to trust him. Who can you trust, if not family, right? Why would he do that? You clutch the injured side of your skull, wincing at the sharp, stabbing pain.

“BONES, PLEASE DON’T HURT YOURSELF-” Papyrus cries out, and you shake your head and slide down the cot to curl onto your side. Frisk grunts and squirms about until your head is on their lap, and they’re tracing small circles along your uninjured temple. The action is kind of soothing, so you allow it.

“It was his uncle, Undyne.” Frisk says. You furrow your brow. This kid is very intuitive, you knew that before. Shouldn’t be a surprise they got this much out of your reaction. “Family.”

“...SHIT!” You don’t have to see it to know that Undyne is stomping down the stairs now.

“... I’ll just put Bones’ bag back. L-let him rest some more.” Alphys quietly suggests.

“Yeah.” Frisk replies, continuing their motions, “Papyrus, want to check on Undyne? I think she’s upset.”

“EVERYONE IS UPSET.” Papyrus sighs, “I ADMIT, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. WHY WOULD HIS UNCLE-?”

“Not everyone’s family is as great as you and Sans’.” Frisk chuckles.

“I SEE. THEN, PLEASE WATCH OVER BONES WHILE I TALK TO UNDYNE.”

A few seconds pass.

“They’re gone for now.” Frisk sighs.

“...What happened, after?” You ask.

“You won’t believe me, but..” Frisk laughs, “Flowey. Oh my god. Alphys sort of passed out, right? Screamed and just fainted on the floor. Mettaton was in shock, I think. He didn’t know that your shield would give out, so when he saw you fall, he rushed over to see if he can help. You looked… it was bad, Bones. But you weren’t turning to dust. And Flowey is suddenly there, yelling about idiots and stubborn humans. He- he ripped off one of Mettaton’s arms, and just- started beating Mettaton with it!”

“No shit.” You breathe.

“No shit.” Frisk agrees, “I called Papyrus, and he got you back here. Alphys patched you up, and, well, you know the rest.”

You focus on breathing in and out. Frisk’s tiny fingers are still busy soothing you. Before you know it, your socket lids are half closed and you’re dozing.

“If… that powder was from your uncle, and he died a long time ago... How come there’s so much of it left?” Frisk asks.

“It doesn’t take much, he told me. Just a sprinkle.” You sigh, “That stuff can last decades.” Shifting a little makes your head hurt, so you halt an attempt to make yourself more comfortable.

Frisk must have noticed, because they then ask, “You’re not in pain, are you?”

“...Was Sans really pissed?” You whisper, ignoring the question. You’re also still not sure about Sans’ little exit there. Even Papyrus looked confused at his brother’s behavior.

“Nope. That’s when he’s genuinely concerned.” Frisk mutters, “I don’t think he knows how to do emotions right.”

“Oh? And how should he have reacted?” You wince as you feel Frisk slipping from underneath your skull. A pillow replaces their lap and you gratefully sink into it.

“Well, a hug would’ve been excellent, but I would’ve settled for, ‘i’m glad you’re alright’.” Frisk yawns and curls up next to you once again.

“I’m glad you’re alright.” You say to them, and Frisk snorts.

“I didn’t mean to me, numbskull.” Frisk chides.

“Oh.” You shrug, and they tuck their head underneath your chin. It reminds you of when the two of you were falling down into the underground. The memory’s not as unpleasant as you think it should be. “Well, I’m still glad.”

“I’m glad you’re alright too.” They sigh, “Sans took the knife, by the way.”

“Ah.”

“Why’d you use it on Mettaton?”

“Well, my magic use is questionable at the best of times. You know that.” You mutter, “So, wandering the streets wasn’t easy for a monster who can’t reliably defend themself. So, I learned how to use human weapons. They work just as well as magic against both humans and monsters anyway.”

“But you mostly had to use ‘em against humans.” Frisk says.

“Yeah. Monsters don’t really attack each other. This here,” You gesture towards your face, “was a freak accident.”

“Am I doing the right thing?” They ask, clutching at you, “By freeing them? Letting them be exposed to… that?”

“A hundred years ago, I would tell you it’s not a good idea.” You reply, “But this is now, Frisk. We have problems, sure, but society frowns upon hate of all kinds now. We’re doing good. They have a right to see it.”  

Frisk relaxes, and you’re suddenly aware of how tense the child actually was. You carefully hug them and they let out a quiet sob. “I think I needed to hear that. Thanks.”

“Mmhmm.”

“I’m sorry your uncle is an ass. Even if he has cool stories.”

“Language, Frisk.”

“And sorry for making you save me from Mettaton. I shouldn’t have tried anything while sick.”

“Frisk…”

“Still not sorry for dragging you down here, though.”

“Child, shush.”

“B-but-”

“You’re ruining the moment.”

Frisk finally falls silent. You fall back asleep soon after. In the quiet of the lab, Sans reappears. The ziploc bag is clenched in his fist, his eye sockets dark and hollow.

This… stuff you were ingesting for how many years? Potent. Effective. Deadly. How you’re still alive, he doesn’t care to ponder. Just holding the powder is making him nervous, even if all his scans show that it only works by mixing it with food.

_whoever did this is a genius,_ Sans admits in his head, _a mad one that needs to be put down._ He’s ready to shake you awake, demand answers- a person, a location, but then he spots you and stops. You and Frisk are curled together on that cot like puppies.

Sans lets out an aggravated sigh.

“S-sans?” Alphys appears, and lets out a quiet “Oh!” at the sight of the sleeping figures.

“yeah.” Sans replies, “this is the stuff, by the way. we should destroy it.”

“T-there’s an incinerator in the basement.”

“can i trust you to do this right?”

“S-sans.” Alphys reproachfully says. When Sans doesn’t reply, she looks down at the floor, “Y-yeah. No good can come of th-this.”

There’s some hesitation, but Sans does give Alphys the bag, and that’s how she knows things between her and the short skeleton will be alright. If he can still trust her with something important like this, she won’t let him down. But, still, there’s something that Sans doesn’t know.

“H-here’s the thing- I, I wouldn’t ask Bones about the monster that m-made this…”

“why’s that.” Sans’ eye sockets narrow, “is he protecting them?”

“I-it was his uncle…” Alphys shrugs, “B-bones wouldn’t say m-much more than that… but… f-family did this. S-so, our theory must be right! H-he ran away, and j-just wants a do over. A-and now, w-we just need to focus on g-getting him better!”

Sans shrugs and tosses the bag to Alphys. The royal scientist yelps and fumbles while catching it. “seems so. me and pap will be by tomorrow. try to keep them alive until then.” With a wink he walks away.

“K-keep them alive until then…” Alphys mimics him, frowning. “Ugh!”

_A few days after your uncle takes you in, the both of you are in a seedy motel room. You remember staring at the various holes in the walls, paranoid that bugs will come out. Impact himself is sitting cross legged on a bed two decades too old, polishing his old pocket watch._

_“Don’t trust anyone that asks too many damn questions.” Impact says, “Just keep yer mouth shut and run while you can.”_

_“They were just asking what my name was.” You explain, and his expression hardens._

_“That’s dangerous info to have, kid.” He tells you, “But I’ll tell you what. When someone asks you that- give them a name. Just not yours.”_

_“Wouldn’t that be lying?”_

_“Pick something, anything.” Impact tells you._

_You think hard, looking down at yourself. All you have on is a shirt that is way too large and a pair of shorts. The rest of your things are still back at the house, but Impact told you that there’s no going back there. But that’s okay. You don’t need physical things to be happy. All you really need is your-_

_“Bones.” You say, and Impact laughs._

_“Bones, eh? Well, there you go. From now on, your name is Bones.” Conversation over, your uncle returns to his watch._

_You look out the window to watch the car lights pass by._


	18. Metaphorical

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mettaton and Papyrus say their piece. Bones cheats the inventory system.

Birth certificate, check. Ebott City Identification Card, check. Miscellaneous photographs, check. Sighing, you stuff them back into the hidden compartment of your duffle bag. Honestly, these things are doing more harm than good. Knowing what Impact did to you… it makes you want to just burn every bit of the past until it’s nothing but ash and dust. Let the memories, good and bad, fade until they become nothing but a blur. Make this new life, the one underground, your new past. But now’s not the time for anything drastic. You’ll keep them hidden and safe like you’ve done for years now. Carefully, you take a stack of books from their place underneath your cot and put them in your bag.

“You can just put those things in your phone, you know.” Frisk, ever the know it all, tells you. They climb up on the cot beside you. A half melted ice pack is taped to their forehead, courtesy of Alphys.

“I know that. But I can save for more space if I put it all in my duffle first, and then have the duffle take up only one spot in my inventory.” You tell the snot nosed brat.

“That’s cheating!”

“Yeah, well, whatcha going to do about it?” You zip up the bag. Frisk squirms in their spot, frowning when melted ice drips down their sweater. “What’s up?”

“It’s just… knowing that you can’t really use your magic to attack- doesn’t it feel very vulnerable, without that knife?” Frisk asks, making an abrupt change in conversation.

“Kind of.” You admit, “But I’m not going to ask for it back.”

“It took a while for me, to get used to it.” Frisk leans against you, “After… that whole… mess… I knew I couldn’t carry weapons around anymore. It’s hard, to not fall back on bad habits.”

“I hate to tell you this, but murdering for fun is not just a ‘bad habit’.” You groan, “And I can’t believe I just had to say that.”

“It wasn’t for fun, Bones.” Frisk nestles further against your side. The physical contact is very odd to say the least, but the child hasn’t left your side since you woke up yesterday. They don’t elaborate on this, instead moving on to say, “While exploring a few hidden spots in the underground, something happened. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad- the person I spoke to thinks it’s bad, but that’s because they don’t think I can help anyway-”

“You’re rambling.”

“Okay, I told you I can reset, save, and load, right? Like in a videogame.” Frisk sighs, “I think I have to stop saying it like that. Makes things feel less real.”

“Good idea.”

“Anyway, after that, I found out I couldn’t load. The entire game show, the news report, the fight- I was trying to load right back to the last time I saved. And something was stopping me.” Frisk closes their eyes, “And the entire time, I was wishing that I had a weapon, because there was no other way to defend myself. Sure, maybe if I died, I’d be back at that save point. But I don’t want to test it out.”

“Well, that sucks.” A lame reply, but what else can you do? It’s not like you can truly understand what they’re going through.

“So, from now on, I have to be really careful. Take things even slower.” Frisk looks pained at this, “No more speedruns. No more impatience.”

“I’m sure you’ll manage.” Finished with your things, you zap the bag into your phone.

“And I want you to come along with me more often.” They blush and shrug when you glare at them, “What? After you’re better, I mean. With that stuff Sans is giving you, you’ll be in control of your magic in no time! And, well, maybe I can use some help? Doing things alone hasn’t worked so far.”

“Frisk, what can I possibly do to help?” You laugh at the idea.

“Well, now that the fight with Mettaton is over, we can go into the lab. You know the way to the computer room, right?”

“You mean… the area downstairs? Alphys never let me down there.” You never really questioned why that is, or why she continually refers to the elevator as a ‘bathroom’. It’s easier just to accept it as one of her quirks.

“Seriously?” Their mouth drops open, “B-but, you and her looked like you were getting along so well! She should have opened up to you…”

“What do you-” You start to ask, but stop when someone clears their throat. You and Frisk both look to see Alphys there, shifting from one foot to the other.

“Um, Bones- if it’s okay with you… I’d l-like to talk?” Alphys looks over at Frisk, “A-alone, that is.”

“Think you can handle that, tough guy?” You tease Frisk, who turns red but nods.

You sway slightly when you get up, but other than that you are good to go. Patting Frisk on the head, you follow Alphys down the stairs.

“I- I didn’t want to say anything else in front of Frisk, or the others.” Alphys quietly mutters, “But Mettaton wants to t-talk to you, a-and, if you agree, Frisk too.”

“Mettaton wants to talk to me?” You stop at the bottom of the stairs, giving the royal scientist a disbelieving look.

“He- he really didn’t mean it.” Alphys balls her hands up into little fists, “I- I know Undyne, and the o-others, they don’t trust him. B-but shouldn’t he get a chance to apologize?”

“How can he possibly-”

“P-please?” Alphys eyes are wide and earnest. Flushing, you look away.

“Fine.”

She leads you to the other side of the lab, away from Frisk’s prying ears and eyes. You stop, however, when you spot a familiar torso on the worktable. “Isn’t that Met-” Alphys shakes her head and grabs your hand, tugging you away.

In a corner by the kitchen, there’s a small table. Two chairs are empty, tucked underneath, while a third is occupied. Your brow furrows when you make out the shape of a pale pink ghost monster. They look up as you approach, their somewhat familiar eyes flashing in recognition.

“Uh…” You start.

“T-take a seat, Bones.” Alphys suggests.

The ghost watches as you grab a chair, dragging it out and carefully perching on it. You clasp your hands on your lap, suddenly glad you were able to change back into your regular clothes with Frisk’s help earlier this morning. The way they’re staring… it unnerves you.

“I suppose I should start.” They sigh, simultaneously sounding familiar and strange, “I can not apologize enough-”

“Wait, wait, wait!” You yelp, eye sockets widening in realization despite the pain it causes to your right one, “You’re Mettaton?”

“In the ectoplasm.” He seems irritated by this, “Alphys informed me that my body’s repairs might take long- long enough that any attempts at reconciliation afterwards would be fruitless.”

“I don’t get it.” You say, and Mettaton pouts.

“I doubt anyone would, darling.” He says, “You see, Alphys and I share one common interest that has brought us close these past couple of years- Humanity. We’re utterly enraptured by them! Their history, their art, their drama and intrigue! Oh, and let’s not forget their love of violence and bloodshed.”

“Th-that last part is just you!” Alphys argues.

“I think our lovely guest here realizes that.” Mettaton shrugs off her protests, “It didn’t take long for mine and Alphys’ friendship to blossom… but we wanted different things in life, you see? I, the life of a star! Alphys- to impress his royal majesty. Both, while we were separate, two impossible things-”

“Hey…”

“-But together! Together we could achieve our dreams!” He smiles, “My dear friend helped design a body worthy of fame and fortune, one that I could possess and operate as my own. Sure, it was nothing more than a fabulous rectangle, but that was merely the first step! And my dear Alphys presented me to the king, a representation of what can happen when science and magic intertwine in harmony! So impressed, Asgore appointed Alphys the new royal scientist, and I- I was free to pursue my dream to be the star of the underground!”

“This… doesn’t sound like an apology.” You say.

“I am merely giving you relevant background information.” Mettaton looks like he didn’t appreciate being interrupted, “But, if you’d like me to skip ahead, I will accommodate you.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“The human child…” Mettaton’s voice gets quiet, “It was nothing personal. Our king wants to wage war against humanity. If he were to break the barrier, it would be… disastrous. I only wanted to… protect them. It’s a shame, that it came down to me attempting to take a human child’s SOUL, but I saw no other alternative.”

“K-king Asgore wouldn’t d-do that!” Alphys shouts,

“He has six human SOULs in his possession, dear. Do you truly want to take that chance?” Mettaton points out, and you hate that, in his own twisted way, he makes sense. He returns his gaze to you, expression sorrowful. “When you came between me and Frisk on that stage, I admit- all I saw were my ratings. A Monster, protecting a Human? The drama writes itself! And that shield… it was truly a work of art.” He sighs dreamily. “I went overboard, and in the end, I almost killed you. And for that, I am deeply, truly sorry.”

“Yeah, okay, that’s good and all…” You start, not accepting the apology but not pushing it away either. The ghost looks almost relieved by your reaction. He must think you’ve accepted it. Doesn’t matter. What you are focused on is- “But what about Frisk? Are you still going to go after them?”

“The child… has many allies that are aiding them, don’t they? Not just their handsome skeleton friends, but Captain Undyne herself, and Dr. Alphys here.” He closes his eyes and shakes his head, “I have no doubt that everyone will protect them from the king. I will just have to trust in all of your abilities.”

After that little chat, you let Frisk talk with him. Even if you think Mettaton’s apology is crap, you do believe that he won’t try anything now. Alphys leads you back upstairs, her steps small and body hunched over.

“U-um, now that’s done… I’d like to talk to you too?” Alphys’ voice is small but determined.

“I think I’ve had enough of this talking stuff.” You grumble, but sink into the beanbag chair anyway.

“D-did I mention how sorry I am? It.. it’s my fault you got hurt.”

“It’s Mettaton’s fault I got hurt.” You reply, shifting your gaze from Alphys to slightly left of Alphys. She sighs, a short, irritable sound.

“S-stop that. I know you blame me.” She looks down at her claws, “I- I should have asked you to introduce me to Frisk. You were… totally right about that.”

“What’s done is done. I just want to move forward now. Really.”

“M-moving forward is a good thing, I su-suppose.” Alphys allows, “But. To t-tell the truth, I am a-afraid that once you l-leave- we won’t be friends anymore!” The last part of her sentence is quick and rushed, but you make it out.

“Jeez, Alphys…” You laugh, “Okay, let me be honest now too. Sans and Papyrus were going to drag me back to Snowdin whether I agreed to it or not. I would’ve been fine healing up while hanging with you.”

“O-oh…” Alphys slumps in relief, “T-that’s really nice to hear.”

“We’re… friends, Alphys.” You confirm, and all of a sudden you understand Papyrus’ hesitation when he described Frisk as one those few weeks ago. It makes things all the more real, doesn’t it? If Alphys detects the odd tone you used, she doesn’t show it. Instead she squeals and joins you on the beanbag, squeezing her arms around your ribs.

Patting her back, you huff, “I guess you were really worried about that, huh?”

“Y-yes!”

“OH MY! AM I INTERRUPTING?”

Alphys squeaks and flails to the side, landing on the floor besides you. You look up and see Papyrus looking at the two of you, expression bemused.

“Guess it’s time to head back to Snowdin?” You know it’s redundant, but what else is there to say? It’s kind of unsettling, to be around monsters that have seen you in one of your most vulnerable moments. The tall skeleton kindly smiles at you and, crouching down, offers a gloved hand up. Rolling your eyes, you allow him to gingerly pull you to your feet.

“INDEED. MY APOLOGIES FOR OUR TARDINESS- MY BROTHER IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH DR. ALPHYS’ NOTES DOWNSTAIRS. HE WANTED ME TO WAIT, BUT I RAN OUT OF PATIENCE.”

“W-what?!” Alphys is up in a flash, “Bones’ file isn’t- ohmygod.” She runs downstairs.

Once Alphys is out of earshot, Papyrus speaks again. In a voice much softer than you’re used to, he says, “AND HOW ARE YOU FEELING?”

“I’m alright.” You shrug off his question.

“YOU DON’T NEED TO LIE YOU KNOW.”

“Huh?”

“YOU ARE CERTAINLY NOT ‘ALRIGHT’.” Papyrus’ face darkens, “WHAT THE HUMAN TOLD US LAST NIGHT… FAMILY SHOULD NEVER HARM EACH OTHER! OR ANYBODY ELSE, FOR THAT MATTER. IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAD A VERY POOR EXAMPLE TO LOOK UP TO, GROWING UP.”

“That’s the confusing part of this whole thing Papyrus.” You sigh, “It really wasn’t all that bad. Besides the whole powder thing? He taught me history, math, science- as much as he was able to. I play the violin because of him. How can someone who raised me like his own… do that?”

“THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF… BAD THINGS THAT FAMILY CAN DO TO EACH OTHER.” He avoids the term ‘abuse’, but you know what he means. Undyne described it that way too. “FAMILIES DO NOT HAVE TO BE CONSISTENTLY BAD TO BE BAD. JUST LIKE FAMILIES DO NOT HAVE TO BE CONSISTENTLY GOOD TO BE GOOD. THERE IS A BALANCING ACT. A SEESAW, IF YOU WILL, AND YOUR UNCLE WAS PUTTING TOO MANY BRICKS ON ONE END AND TOO LITTLE BONES ON THE OTHER.”

“I- what?”

“THERE ARE TIMES WHERE YOU WILL NEED THE BRICKS,” Papyrus rolls with his metaphor, “BUT THERE SHOULDN’T BE TOO MANY OF THEM. BONES, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE USEFUL UTENSILS IN THE EVERYDAY BATTLE OF LIFE.”

“Okay, okay… I get it.” You don’t, not really, but Papyrus is starting to ramble.

“NO I DO NOT THINK YOU DO.” He rubs his chin thoughtfully, “BUT THAT IS OKAY, FOR MY BROTHER AND I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO THROW ALL THOSE EXTRA BRICKS OF YOURS OUT THE WINDOW.”

“The window?” You’re lost.

“YES. THE METAPHORICAL WINDOW OF YOUR METAPHORICAL HOUSE. DESPITE HOW CATHARTIC IT MAY BE, YOU WILL NOT BE THROWING BRICKS OUT OF REAL WINDOWS.”

“Yeah, I think I get that.”

“OH. THAT IS GOOD. DID YOU ALSO GET THAT THOSE BRICKS ARE YOUR POWDER AND THE BONES ARE-”

“Yes, yes, I get it.” You rub the bridge of your nasal cavity, “So, wait, where is the seesaw in all of this?”

“IN THE METAPHORICAL BACKYARD, WHERE ALL THE METAPHORICAL SEESAWS SHOULD BE.”

You give Papyrus a wry smile and he beams back at you. “Alright. Thanks for the pep talk.”

“YOU ARE VERY WELCOME. WELL, I’VE SAID MY PIECE, SO NOW WE SHALL COLLECT SANS AND BE ON OUR WAY.” He turns back towards the stairs.

Realization dawns upon you. “You told Alphys that Sans was going through her stuff so that you can talk to me alone.” Papyrus pauses.

“I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.”

“Is Sans even looking for my file?”

“OF COURSE HE IS. AND HE IS ALSO SNOOPING, BECAUSE HE IS A SNOOPER WHO SNOOPS.” Papyrus shrugs.

Together, the two of you head back downstairs. The scene that greets you is as follows: Alphys, hovering over Sans’ shoulders as he reads over some papers. She occasionally reaches over to grab at them, which he rebuffs with remarkable ease.

“so there’s a secret society of thieves that are somehow organized enough to hold a competition to see who is the best one… by stealing king fluffybun’s crown?”

“It’s a work in progress… please stop reading!” Alphys pleads.

“why’d you print this out anyway?” Sans looks amused.

“It’s… it’s easier to beta that way!”

“ok.” Sans picks up a pen.

“W-what are you doing?!”

“alph, you need to be a bit more subtle with these adjectives of yours. you can’t just describe asgore’s ass as ‘glorious buns of steel’. it totally takes me out of the story.” Sans starts scribbling on the paper.

“B-but-!”

“are you _kidding_ me? did you really make papyrus into a skeleton parrot?”

“So you did give me a shoulder parrot!” You exclaim, making Alphys jump.

“Well, s-someone needed to be the good natured win-wingman!”

“heh. that’s a good one. you should put that in the story.”

“SANS!” Papyrus fumes, “DO NOT ENCOURAGE SUCH LAZY WORDPLAY. MAY I SUGGEST THE DOCTOR USE OLD FASHIONED, CLASSY METAPHORS INSTEAD?”

“everyone’s a critic.”

Something tugs at your sleeve and you look down to see Frisk. They have a pained expression on their face. “Want to just walk to Snowdin? They’ll catch up. Eventually.”

“Kid,” You exhale, “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”


	19. The Rebirth of a World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short little interlude. It's nearing the holidays, so updates may not be as frequent. So, here, have a little more background. This time, it's more centered around Frisk. Short, but sweet. Takes place just before Frisk tries sneaking into the lab.

_Before…_

 

_“It is such a marvel, isn’t it?” Chara asks Frisk, “What great and terrible things a human is capable of.”_

_“Shut up.” Frisk buries their head between their knees and tries to focus on breathing. But they can’t. There’s no air here. No breeze against their skin. Everything is an inky, oppressive darkness. All except for the two choices put in front of them._

 

_Erase. Do Not._

 

_“I mean, you only obliterated the only beings that truly cared about you.” Chara shrugs, “So why the hesitation? Two choices, Frisk. It’s not that hard.”_

_Yes. Yes, it is very hard. Frisk tries hard not to cry. Chara has no tolerance for useless tears._

_“Feeling regret?” Chara mocks, “You had so much time to get to this point, and only now you feel it? That’s not good enough.”_

_Chara is pissed, Frisk can tell. They begged and pleaded for Frisk to stop, to abandon their little mission. You see, the first fallen human knew what could happen when you take a step too far. And Frisk ignored them. Slaughtered their mother. The friends they made. The innocent bystanders. Their father. Their best friend._

_And for what?_

_The destruction of this world._

_Frisk clutches the heart shaped locket to their chest, small body heaving in distress. Hands clutch at their shoulders and they gasp, jerking back in shock. Large brown eyes seek out copper red ones._

_This is the first time Chara touched them._

_They were never able to before._

_“Why is it,” Chara says in irritation, “that I have such a weak spot for babies?”_

_“What do I do?!” Frisk gasps, shuddering. Chara falls to their knees and pulls Frisk against them. Their hug is stiff but fierce, and Frisk takes comfort in it._

_“What do we do, partner?” Chara whispers, “If you haven’t forgotten, I’m still here.”_

_“We can’t just stay here forever, can we?” Frisk asks, and Chara shakes their head._

_“You can’t feel it, can you?” Chara isn’t surprised. “This place is very unstable. We have to make a decision, and soon.”_

 

_Erase. Do Not._

 

_“Why can’t I…” Frisk’s hands ball up into fists, “JUST RESET?!”_

_“Maybe…” Chara hesitates, “There is a way.”_

_“What?! What is it?!”_

_“First…” Chara lightly pushes at Frisk until they’re leaning back on their haunches. Chara stands up, wiping at their shorts. “You have something I want. Give it to me, and I will bring this world back.”_

_“Really? You’re not just… screwing around with me, are you?” Frisk is suspicious. Chara can respect that._

_“On one condition. Well, two, in a way.” Chara smirks, “Like I just said, give me what I want. And promise me- once everything is done, this is the last time. We free our family, once and for all. Consequences be damned.”_

_“Yes!” Frisk shouts, “Of course!”_

_“Then we have an agreement. Hand it over.” Chara holds their hand out. Frisk takes the chain off their neck and places the locket on their palm._

_Reality morphs around them. Chara tries not to reveal how nervous they are._

_They hope this works._

 

Now

_You know, hanging around in the snow is going to do wonders for that cold of yours._

_Yeah. We won’t be here long._ Frisk wipes their nose, wincing at the sensitive skin. It’s been so long since they’ve gotten sick that they’ve almost forgotten how much it sucks.

_You have to be careful. Loading doesn’t work like it used to, remember?_

How can Frisk forget? This entire run has been a disaster. Right from the beginning- so many times they had to load to save Bones. All the while, getting yelled at. Why is this dumb skeleton worth it? Shouldn’t we be moving on by now? Just leave him to his fate, Frisk.

Except Frisk can’t turn their back on anybody like that. Not anymore. Not if they really, truly, want this to be the last time.

So now Bones is safe. Just a few more to go.

Except nothing can ever be simple, can it? A new development showed its face, and while it’s not world shattering, it is kind of a pain to deal with.

The load button is broken.

Sure, Frisk can save. So they save often. But in order to make use of their save they have to… die. And it’s as true as their partner says- _Dying isn’t a great time._

They can’t talk to Asriel about this. They’re pretty sure not even he had to deal with this variable. And that said, there’s no one else they can turn to. Not even, _especially not_ , Sans. Sure, they’re pals again, but any mention of past runs has the skeleton on edge. So any conclusion they come to is an educated guess at best.

So, now that loading is out of the question, Frisk has no choice but to be really, really careful about what they say and do. It’s like the first time they came down here. It’s weird and exciting. They almost liken this to practice for when they’re permanently back above ground.

 _What are we doing here, anyway?_ They sound kind of grouchy now. Frisk guesses they don’t like getting sick even more than Frisk does. _Shouldn’t we be getting back to Alphys’ lab soon? So that we can save Oogey Gooey Man?_

 _In a bit. It’s just… things are very different this time ‘round, isn’t it?_ There’s a scoff in their head, and Frisk grins.

_Of course, Dummy. Things change. That’s how time is supposed to work. Um… why is Papyrus sneaking spaghetti into Grillby’s mailbox?_

_Dunno. But it’s so awesome, isn’t it?_ There’s a warm feeling in Frisk’s SOUL, and they know their partner agrees. Then Frisk sneezes, and they’re back to being grouchy again.

_Why are you so gross?_

Another new development- sharing a body is pretty jarring, even if their partner is content with letting Frisk stay in control. The most they’ve ever done is jerk Frisk back from imminent danger or order golden flower tea instead of milk. Never like that one run- the one they specifically avoid mentioning. Even if it’s the cause of their situation at the moment.

 _You have something I want. Give it to me, and I will bring this world back._ Those were the words the first fallen human told Frisk at the end, when everything was destroyed and there was nothing they could do- even resetting was beyond their reach. But they, _Chara_ , somehow knew how to make this not the end, to give everything back to Frisk. They gave the world life again. Somehow, through the use of Frisk’s SOUL, they got everything back. And now Frisk is forever in Chara’s debt.

And what did Chara do once everything was done? Gave the SOUL back- but not before burying themself so deep within it that the two can never be parted. Frisk and Chara, together forever. A small price to pay, Frisk figures, for the rebirth of an entire world.

 _That’s what happens when we get sick. Did you forget?_ Frisk teases.

_Almost. Everything feels so… muted like this. Agh Get better soon, and by soon I mean ‘now’._

_What? Can’t magic away the sickies?_

_I can’t fix all of your mistakes, Frisk._ Frisk’s smile drops. _...Sorry. Was that too soon?_

_No… I… I deserved that._

_I’m trying to do this whole redemption thing right. I don’t think taking cheap shots is the way to go._ Chara sounds sincere. Frisk takes their words at face value.

They turn their eyes back to Grillby’s. The fire elemental himself is staring down at his mailbox, brows knit in confusion. Papyrus is nowhere to be seen. Frisk wonders what Alphys would call this particular development.

 _A bonefire._ Chara supplies. Frisk rolls their eyes and starts walking. They have a plan to get back to.


	20. Popping Bubbles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone had a happy holiday!

Going back to Snowdin means taking the river person’s boat again. You know it’s better than walking across the underground- as limited as the mountain is, it is still pretty big. Walking would take the better part of the day. Lucky you, the river person is idling by the dock in Hotland when you and Frisk reach the stop. Without a word, Frisk hops into the boat, and you follow.

Small boats remind you of that old canoe Impact loved to take out every once in a while. Usually after long bouts of working odd jobs in the middle of the city, he’d take you out to the woods, find a river, and the two of you would just… lazily drift down wherever the river would take you. If he couldn’t find a river, a lake did just as good. Despite the fact you weren’t a fan of floating with only a thin layer of wood separating you from whatever it is that lives in the water, you enjoyed those times. It was the most you’ve ever seen the old skeleton relax.

“You think there are gators down there?” You ask Frisk, carefully gripping at the seat. The river person waits patiently at the head of their boat, whistling a nameless tune.

“What? No!” Frisk replies, though they do bend over the side to take a closer look at the water, “At least I don’t think so?” You fight the urge to pull the child back to their seat.

“I saw a movie once, with this large gator that just… ate people.” You nervously chuckle, “I guess I never got it out of my head.”

“The only movie I’ve seen with something like that is  _ Peter Pan _ . And it only wanted to eat the bad guy.” Frisk frowns, “What kind of movies do you watch anyway?”

“Tra la la…” The river person interjects, “Please remain seated. I assume we are headed to Snowdin?”

“Yes, please.” The child nods, finally sitting their butt back down, and off the boat goes.

“Honestly? Whatever was on cable at the time.” You shrug, “Usually, old, and in hindsight, terrible, horror movies.”

The heat of Hotland gives way to the cooler humidity of Waterfall, and the closer you get to Snowdin, the colder it gets.

“Strange,” You muse, “that monsters have to travel from place to place to have a change in weather.”

“They’re like seasons.” Frisk nods, “I’ve always liked winter best. It was always hard to leave Snowdin.”

The ride back to Snowdin went by faster than you thought it would be. As the boat stops, the river person happily sighs, “It’s a beautiful day outside.”

You hesitate just before standing to get out, and Frisk impatiently grabs your hand and tugs.  A part of you is kind of happy to be back, even if the cold is already making your bones rattle. But another part of you is nervous about running into Mopsy, or her son. What must they think of you now?

“No point in thinking about it.” Frisk impatiently tugs again, “C’mon, we should get something to eat at Grillby’s.”

“When did humans get mind reading powers?” You cautiously joke.

“We didn’t. You just have that look on your face.” Another tug.

“Thanks for the lift.” You wave, and the river person seems to nod back. An odd duck, that one.

Together the two of you go through town, finally stopping at the old building that housed the only restaurant in town. You’ve never really been inside for a meal before, but the few moments you’ve been here, you’ve found Grillby’s to be a warm, welcoming place. At your weaker moments, you came in to take small items that no one would notice go missing- condiment bottles, an odd piece of silverware. And always, you’d end up returning them out of a sense of guilt. This was done before that fateful day you broke into Sans’ and Papyrus’ house, and you haven’t been back since.

In one corner are the dogs. They seem to be going about their usual poker game. You can’t quite place a finger on it, but there’s a quiet excitement in the air around them. Scattered about are the other residents, each minding their own business and enjoying a pleasant meal. The flame himself is at the bar, fiddling with a glass. He looks up as the two of you approach, nodding a greeting.

“The usual please!” Frisk scrambles up on a barstool, beaming up at the bartender. He nods and looks at you, polite enough not to stare too long at the bandages that still cover half your skull.

“I… had a bit of an accident.” You shrug off the concerned aura the elemental’s projecting.

Elemental Monsters are another type that you’re a bit wary of. They do not communicate in a traditional sense, as it’s difficult for them to form mouths and sound out words. Some do, in an effort to accommodate humans, but when it comes to other monsters, they prefer to use their own way.

Empathic Projection is one talent elementals use to communicate. When there is no need for specific words or phrases, they’ll simply send out a feeling. More detailed communication is served by honing their projections until they are understood. It ends up feeling like the elemental is depositing words straight into your skull.

It’s an itchy, uncomfortable feeling. You’ve heard that the more it happens to you, the easier it is, but you’ve never had the ‘opportunity’ to see if it’s true.

“He’s okay, really.” Frisk says, patting the barstool besides them and giving you a look. Shrugging, you take the offered seat, resting your hands on the countertop. “Get him the fries.”

You watch as the bartender goes to the kitchen. “You think they noticed we’ve left yet?” 

“I don’t know. They haven’t called…” Frisk checks their phone, “And Alphys hasn’t posted any updates. She might still be trying to fight off Sans.”

“I still can’t believe she actually wrote that story.” You laugh.

Frisk hums in agreement, perking up when Grillby strides back towards you, two plates in his hands. With reserved pride, he places them on the counter. You duck your head, muttering a quiet thanks as Frisk immediately dives into their burger. A monster calls out for the bartender soon after, and he leaves the two of you alone once again.

You pick up a fry and munch on it, ignoring Frisk’s blatant staring. “I’ve always wondered how skeletons eat when they got no stomach.” 

“Stop talking with your mouth full.” You scold, only to have Frisk open their mouth to display half chewed food. “Oh my god, that’s gross.”

“But seriously-” Frisk swallows, “How-” They’re interrupted by loud, exuberant howling. The both of you turn to see the pack surrounding a beaming Dogaressa. Her husband’s arm is around her waist, nose nuzzling against the side of her head.

“W-wow, congratulations!” Doggo says, “How far-”

“Just found out a few weeks ago, but we didn’t want to-” Dogamy starts.

“Count the puppies before they hatched, so to speak.” His wife finishes.

“Oh.” You whisper in surprise, barely noticing when Frisk stiffens up besides you. Greater Dog lets out another happy howl as the other monsters get up to engage the happy couple. “They must be so happy. Maybe we should- Frisk?” 

Looking over, you see Frisk covering their mouth, features grief stricken. You reach over to comfort them, see what’s wrong, but in an instant they’re on their feet and running out of the bar. “Well, shit.” Scrambling to look for some pocket change to actually pay for the food, you stop when an overwhelming feeling of urgency reaches you.

_ It’s okay. Go after them. _

You grit your teeth, but nod at Grillby and follow after the child. Opening the doors, you almost trip over Monster Kid, who takes this with a grace you can only dream of.

“Yo! First Frisk runs out, and now you!” He happily chirps, “You both were on Mettaton’s show the other day, right? That was so cool!”

“Cool… that’s one word for it.” You comment, self consciously ghosting your fingertips across your bandaged right eye. “Do you know where Frisk went?”

“I think maybe to Waterfall?” He nods, “Yeah! They told me all about how they like to be alone in this one cavern with the stars.”

“Stars?”

“Well, you know, not really stars. But they’re really cool rocks that look like stars!” Monster Kid gives you a conspiratorial look, “Need help finding it?”

“Yes, please.” You say, and off he goes. “H-hey, not so fast!” 

“See? Their footprints are in the snow!” Monster Kid babbles, but doesn’t slow down. You end up jogging to keep up with him.

True to his word, Monster Kid leads you out of Snowdin through the many different caverns of Waterfall, and eventually leads you to a quiet, isolated area. He stops just at the entrance to it, frowns, and cocks his head to the side. When you skid to a stop next to him, you realize why. 

You can hear Frisk crying.

Sighing, you pat Monster Kid on the head. “Thanks.”

“Dude, are they okay?” He whispers.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. I’ve got it from here.”

“Me and the others are gonna play in the woods tomorrow. If they’re feeling better… they can definitely join us!” Monster Kid suggests, casting an uncertain look at you.

“I’ll tell them.” He smiles up at you, satisfied with the response. With a shake of his tail, he runs off. Sighing, you walk into the cavern.

Hm. No wonder the monsters down here call them stars. The ceiling is a dark, inky black that reminds you of the skies at night, when you are in the forest with the city miles and miles away. Gems litter this ceiling, brightly twinkling. You’re not sure where the light source is coming from. 

Frisk is sitting on the ground, head buried in their arms. They haven’t been here long, you following minutes after they left the bar, but they look like they’ve been crying for a while. You take a step forward, and your vision swims.

Damn it. You must have overdone it. Alphys did warn you to limit yourself for the next few days. At least until your skull didn’t look like cracked porcelain, Sans was quick to follow up with. You take a deep breath and wait until the dizziness goes away. Once it does, you approach Frisk again.

“What was that all about?” You ask. Frisk tenses when they hear your voice. “One minute, we’re joking around, and the next…”

“I’m a monster.” They sniffle. You have to pause for a moment, thoughts racing. How should you handle this?

“You’d think anyone would be after your SOUL if you were?” There. Sarcasm gets the job done.

“No- not that kind of monster.” They still aren’t looking at you. It’s unsettling. “The  _ human _ kind of monster.”

“Oh boy.” You reach Frisk and plop down beside them. “What brought this on?”

“Dogaressa… she’s pregnant!” Frisk bursts out, “She said for… a few weeks!”

“Yeeeeah?” You slowly draw out.

“And I killed her! Oh my god.” Frisk shudders, “Killed her and her puppies. What’s even worse, is that, every time I reset… Bones…”

“Frisk…” You helplessly watch as the kid breaks down.

“I kept taking away her children! And not just that!” Frisk bursts out, “I was keeping everyone in the same bubble of time, looping over and over again. They can’t change, they can’t move on, anything they do is just… just... MEANINGLESS! All because I’m a selfish BRAT!”

What can you say about that? Denying their words is completely laughable, because they are right. It is selfish, the amount of times Frisk kept ‘resetting’ this timeline. When they killed monsters left and right- that sort of thing should be unforgivable, right? Or when they finally did free everyone down here, only to reset again.

…

… Words are kind of meaningless, anyway. Frisk jumps when you touch them, but doesn’t resist when you loosely wrap them up in a hug. “Frisk.... I don’t know what to say.” You softly admit.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Frisk bitterly laughs, “It’s not something that you can fix. Only I can, a little at a time. That’s why this is going to be the last run. And after… I’ll think of something else.”

“Join a monastery?” You suggest, smiling when Frisk’s bitter laughter turns genuine.

“I’ll shave my head and take a vow of celibacy.” They joke.

You burst out laughing and nuzzle the top of their head. “Do you even know what that means?” You tease.

“... Isn’t it another word for pacifism?” Frisk only gets more confused when you laugh harder. “What’s so funny?”

You only stop when the both of your phones start buzzing. Frisk checks theirs, mouths “Papyrus” to you, and shrugs. Glancing down, you see that it’s Alphys. 

“What’s up, Doc?” You answer. Frisk answers their phone, escaping your hug to wander off to the other side of the cavern.

“A-are you okay?!” Alphys sputters, “We… we saw that you were g-gone, and we f-figured you’d be in S-Snowdin by now! B-but- you’re not?”

“Me and Frisk took a field trip.” You explain, “We’ll be back in a bit.”

“It-it’s just that… you are b-both unwell…” Alphys trails off, “T-the entire p-point of Sans and Papyrus p-picking you up is so that you’re not a-alone!”

“I know, Papyrus. It’s just that Bones never saw the stars before, so I wanted to-” Frisk talks from somewhere behind you.

“I’m sorry for worrying you.” You say, “But we’re okay. Really.”

“It’s important t-that you be h-honest a-about how you’re f-feeling.” Alphys tries to sound stern, “S-so we know h-how much you’re h-healing up. Okay?”

“Okay.” You agree, “I’ll talk to you later, Alphys.”

“Feel b-better, Bones!” She hangs up.

Looking over, you see Frisk still chatting on the phone. Their conversation should be over soon, if only because Papyrus would like to scold the both of you in person. So, you move to get back up, and you feel dizzy again. You try to ignore it, but it only gets worse until you settle back down. Maybe it’s a good idea to have someone join you and Frisk and help you get back to Snowdin?

“Frisk.” You get their attention, “Mind asking if Papyrus or Sans can come pick us up? I’m not feeling that well…”

Their face immediately twists into guilt, but they nod and say. “Papyrus, you know where the room is, right? The one I like with the stars?”

Ten minutes later Papyrus bursts in, face flush with worry. “DO NOT FEAR FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE COME TO ASSIST YOU!”

“Thanks, Papyrus. I guess we can head back now-” You test your luck by trying to stand up again, but Papyrus places heavy hands on your shoulders.

“I THINK NOT.” He huffs, “FRISK TELLS ME YOU WERE NOT FEELING WELL?”

“I got a little dizzy, that’s all.” You reply.

“THEN IT IS A GOOD THING YOU HAVE SUMMONED ME.” Papyrus proceeds to pick you up. For the second time in your life, you find yourself being carried bridal style. 

“W-wait a minute!” You yelp, “You are NOT carrying me back like this!”

“AND WHO WILL STOP ME FROM DOING SO?” Papyrus asks, as smug as you’ve ever seen him.

“Papyrus!” You complain.

“I AM NOT LISTENING~!” 

The two of you bicker all the way back to Snowdin. Frisk trails behind, making faces the entire time. Surprisingly, after the initial awkwardness wore off, being carried wasn’t that bad. It’s downright cozy, even. Despite the taller skeleton’s outward appearance and personality, he has a very calming SOUL, you realize. Eventually, as Papyrus reaches town, you find yourself drowsy and content.

“Is Bones falling asleep?” Frisk incredulously asks. You make an annoyed sound and swipe at them. You end up hitting Papyrus’ humerus instead.

“THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHENEVER I CARRY SOMEONE AROUND.” Papyrus answers, somehow sounding both grumpy and proud. “THOUGH… IT HAS MOSTLY BEEN SANS. PERHAPS I SHOULD EXPERIMENT WITH THIS?”

“No…” You poke Papyrus’ collarbone, “Don’t use your powers for evil.”

“I WOULD NEVER!” Papyrus gasps. He must’ve reached the door, because the sound of a doorknob being turned reaches your ear canals, and there is a sudden pleasant warmth.

“found the runaways?” Sans calls from somewhere, “woah, did something happen?”

“IT SEEMS YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE TO FALL VICTIM TO SLUMBER IN THE ARMS OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS.” Papyrus explains, “THOUGH, HE IS VALIANTLY RESISTING.”

“put ‘em down, bro. don’t want him to miss a dose.”

You are gently placed on the couch. Papyrus steps back, wiping his hands. “THERE WE GO! SAFE AND SOUND, IN OUR HUMBLE ABODE!”

“so... what happened?” You feel something heavy sit on the cushions next to you. Must be Sans. Wait, why is your eye closed right now?

“Hmph. Got the dizzies.” With some effort, you blink and see Sans’ expression shift from slightly concerned to a little detached. Interesting.

“what did we tell you about working yourself to the bone?” Sans asks, “because from what i remember, it was something along the lines of  _ ‘don’t do that’ _ .”

“Okay,  _ Mom _ .” You mutter, startling when a mug is pressed into your hands.

“well,  _ son, _ it’s now time to take your medicine, and i’m patella-ing you right now, it’s not going to taste pleasant.”

“OH, HAHA, I GET IT. WE’RE SKELETONS, SO REPLACING WORDS WITH A BONE’S NAME IS HUMERUS.” Papyrus fumes and stalks into the kitchen.

“Does he know…” You trail off when San places a hand over your mouth.

“shhh... don’t ruin the moment.”


	21. Where You Sneak Into Someone Else's Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Papyrus centered chapter, set over the course of a week. Also where the author reveals one of their favorite OTPs.

The first night Frisk and you sleep over, Papyrus is very excited. Two out of three of his best (only) friends, staying at his house, at the same time? What can get better than this?! Never mind that the sole reason this is occurring is because his brother freaked out and absolutely refuses to leave the two of you alone with Alphys. Sans can be so overprotective sometimes!

He takes out his best blankets and pillows, and sets the couch up to be the most comfortable it could be. At first he worries that there isn’t enough room for you _and_ Frisk, but that is soon proven wrong. Frisk buries themselves against your side like a content puppy (oh my gosh humans are absolutely _adorable_ ) and you sleep on your back, arm thrown over your eye sockets as you steadily breathe in and out.

“stop staring at them bro.” Sans gently chides him, “it’s getting kind of creepy.”

“I WANT TO BE ASSURED THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE.” Papyrus whispers, clasping his gloved hands in front of him, internally squealing at the cute sight. “DO YOU THINK THEY’D LIKE OATMEAL OR SPAGHETTI FOR BREAKFAST TOMORROW?”

“i dunno, bro. why don’t you sleep on it?”

“UGH, FINE.”

Later that night, after Sans finishes reading his bedtime story and Papyrus is dreaming about becoming the king (surprisingly, the entire mood of it isn’t as happy as he thinks it should be), you sneak into his racecar bed. Papyrus jolts awake when an unfamiliar presence snuggles against him. Eye sockets snapping open, instantly alert, he sees you there, dozing off with a sleepy smile on your face.

Perhaps the couch isn’t as comfortable as he thought? Well, it’s not acceptable at all for his injured friend to not have a decent night’s rest! He will allow you to slumber in his cool bed tonight. Papyrus has no qualms about taking the couch.

Attempting to get up results in you rolling onto your side and clinging to Papyrus’ nightshirt. No amount of prying, shaking, or pushing loosens your grip. After who knows how long, the tall skeleton collapses back on the bed, exhausted. His arm is trapped between you and the mattress in a way he knows is going to hurt tomorrow. Papyrus glares up at the ceiling in frustration. You sleep on, undisturbed.

It’s not that he minds sharing a room. Not really. It’s just… he hasn’t shared one since he was a babybones. And never did he share with anyone else but his brother.

But… You’ve had a rough couple of days.

Papyrus wiggles his arm until it isn’t trapped anymore and curls it around you. The position is instantly a lot more comfortable. He’ll address his concerns with you tomorrow.

Except come the next morning, when he wakes up bright and early, you’re not there. Bewildered, Papyrus goes about his morning business- showering, dressing, waking up Sans, and comes downstairs to see you and Frisk in the living room. You’re slowly spooning oatmeal into your mouth, unbandaged eye half lidded with sleep. Frisk is on the floor, leaning against your legs as they doodle on a sheet of paper.

“GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS.” Papyrus belts out, “HOW DID EVERYONE SLEEP LAST NIGHT?” He keeps a careful eye on your reaction, but all you do is shrug.

“It was okay. Frisk drools a lot, though.” You reply.

“I do not!” The human child indignantly replies, whacking your leg with their pencil.

“OH.” Papyrus says, stunned, “BUT NOTHING ELSE OUT OF THE ORDINARY?”

“Hmm… I don’t think so?” You give Papyrus a strange look, “Why? Something happen with you?”

Papyrus doesn’t get it. Surely, he didn’t dream that you invaded his personal space last night? But as Sans finally joins the three of you, the tall skeleton decides to let it go. After all, there are more pressing matters to be concerned with- like training with Undyne and solving the day’s Junior Jumble!

Later that night, Papyrus falls asleep like normal. He wakes up several hours later when you kick him in the shins in your sleep. And just like the first night, you’re gone before he wakes up in the morning.

The third day he is assisting Undyne with the renovations of her house. Despite it being on fire for quite a long time, it is in remarkable shape. To be honest, Papyrus is amazed.

“Sorry I wasn’t able to hang with you guys so much.” Undyne apologizes while placing her piano back into its rightful place. “I had to do a bit of damage control after that whole Mettaton fiasco.”

“DAMAGE CONTROL?” Papyrus carefully asks, wiping down the kitchen cabinets.

“Well, yeah. You know, talk to Asgore about the new special effects on TV and how amazingly realistic the human looked?” Undyne snorts, “You guys are damn lucky you have me on your side! Otherwise, Frisk would be in BIG trouble.”

“LANGUAGE, UNDYNE.” Papyrus says by force of habit, “AND THANK YOU.”

He doesn’t wake up when you sneak into his room this time, but he knows you were there. You left an indentation on his pillow.

He takes a bit longer getting ready this time. By the time Papyrus walks into the kitchen, Sans is already up, experimenting with various condiments. And by experimenting, he means that Sans is mixing the salad dressing with tomato paste again.

“SANS YOU AREN’T ON DRUGS AGAIN ARE YOU?” Ever the concerned brother, Papyrus has to ask.

“wha-? no, bro i told you i was never on anything but caffeine and sugar.”

“IS THAT WHAT THE KIDS ARE CALLING IT THESE DAYS?”

“i’m just trying to improve the flavor.” Sans gestures to a small bottle of your medicine, “believe it or not i’m sick of watching him cry as he’s drinking it.”

“PERHAPS IF YOU MIXED IT WITH SPAGHETTI?”

“already tried that last night.”

“THEN MAYBE…” Papyrus thinks hard on this, “YOU SHOULD MAKE IT GRAPE FLAVORED?”

“i can only work with what i have.”

And that’s how Papyrus spends the rest of the day looking for grape flavored things.

The fifth day, Papyrus is walking home from an uneventful day of sentry duty. Despite the fact that there is clearly no need to keep patrol, his work ethic demanded it!

_Papyrus?_

He stops in his tracks and spots Grillby walking towards him, bag of groceries in his arms. It’s an odd sight- Papyrus never really sees the fire elemental outside of his bar. And even then, that’s on the rare occasion he has to pick Sans up. Nothing personal against Grillby, of course. The skeleton just prefers the taste of home cooked meals.

“GOOD EVENING, GRILLBY. I TRUST THAT YOU ARE WELL THIS EVENING?” Papyrus asks.

 _Yes._ He is silent for a moment. _I have been meaning to talk with you. Someone has been intermingling spaghetti with my mail._ A feeling of gentle amusement passes over Papyrus. It does nothing to help his nervousness.

“AND… YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO INVESTIGATE THIS DELICIOUS ATROCITY?” Papyrus looks down at his gloved hands, digits twitching.

It all started as a small joke on Papyrus’ part. It’s just… Sans always speaks so fondly of Grillby! And Papyrus always insulted the fire elemental’s work! It only occurred to the skeleton how _rude_ he was being when Grillby once overheard him nagging Sans about spending all of his free time in such a greasy establishment. Grillby never called Papyrus out on his behavior, but he’s sure emotional damage has been done!

So, in a half joking, half apologetic manner, Papyrus has been making Grillby food and delivering it to his mailbox. All of Sans’ friends appreciate bad jokes. What’s a better bad joke then giving a monster who cooks for a living his (reluctant to admit) amateurish meals? He… just hasn’t worked up the courage to do it face to face yet.

 _No, I do believe I know who the culprit is._ Grillby chuckles, a low crackle of sound that Papyrus rather likes. _And I would like to get the chance to thank them._

“I SEE.” Why is he blushing? “I AM SURE THEY WOULD ANSWER WITH ‘ YOU ARE WELCOME’.”

 _Would you like to walk with me?_ Grillby asks, catching the other off guard.

“DON’T YOU HAVE A RESTAURANT TO RUN?” Papyrus bursts out. “I REFUSE TO DISTRACT YOU FROM YOUR DUTIES.”

 _It is closed- like it has been for the same day every week since I opened it._ Grillby seems to content to watch the skeleton flounder.

In the end Papyrus walks Grillby back to the restaurant. It is a lot more pleasant than he thinks it should be. He runs back home.

“looking a little hot under the collar there bro.” Sans greets him from his perch on top of the television.

“SANS.” Papyrus sighs, “DO I EVEN WANT TO KNOW?”

“No.” You say, staring intently at the notepad propped on your lap. Frisk elects to give Papyrus a thumbs up before returning to their own notebook.

“they’re painting me like one of their french girls.”

“DO NOT BREAK THE TELEVISION.” Papyrus says and stomps upstairs, intending to update his undernet status.

Despite his initial misgivings, the skeleton finds himself unable to restfully sleep until you sneak in again.

...This is becoming a regular thing, isn’t it?

“GRILLBY?” On the sixth day, Papyrus is sitting at the bar, slowly sipping at his milkshake. Sans is out selling hotdogs over in Hotland, while you and Frisk are steadily making your way through Papyrus’ Disney collection. He’s relatively safe for now.

 _Yes?_ It’s not very busy during the early afternoon, so all of the elemental’s concentration is on Papyrus. It’s unnerving, but enjoyable.

“I AM HAVING A CONUNDRUM.” He doesn’t notice as Grillby straightens up, the flames on his head uncertainly flickering..

_I’ll help if I can._

“LET’S SAY THAT YOU ARE HOUSING A DEAR FRIEND.” Papyrus fiddles with the straw, “AND WHILE THEIR SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS ARE ADEQUATE, THEY KEEP SNEAKING INTO YOUR ROOM AND SLEEPING IN YOUR BED.”

Grillby looks at him.

“WHILE YOU’RE STILL IN IT.” Papyrus elaborates. “AND NO ONE TALKS ABOUT IT. EVER. IS THERE A REASON FOR SUCH A THING?”

_That’s…_

“IT’S WEIRD, ISN’T IT? OH MY GOD.” Papyrus buries his skull into his arms.

A long pause, and then Grillby speaks. _When Fuku was still little more than a kindling, she almost fell into the river while playing in Waterfall. As you can imagine, it was very traumatic for the girl._

“FUKU? THAT’S YOUR NIECE, RIGHT?” Papyrus remembers when Grillby hosted the girl’s fifteenth birthday party. It wasn’t that long ago.

 _Yes._ Grillby steeples his fingers together. _For a while, she seemed okay. But, once the shock wore off and she had time to process what had happened- that’s when the nightmares started. And the only thing that helped was sleeping by her brother._

“REALLY?”

_He ‘chased the nightmares away’. To tell the truth, Fuku admires her brother very much. She trusted him back then to keep her safe. So, when she slept, she knew that no water could get to her with him by her side._

“DOES SHE STILL NEED SUCH COMFORT?” Papyrus asks, worried. What if you aren’t able to sleep by yourself ever again?

 _No. Eventually, she was able to sleep by herself. It just took some time._ Grillby takes in Papyrus’ thoughtful expression. _I’m sure Frisk will be back to their more independent self in no time._

“ER, YES.” Papyrus nervously looks down at the counter, “BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT IS FRISK THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. THAT IS VERY REASSURING. THANK YOU, GRILLBY.”

Grillby places his hand on the bones of Papyrus’ wrist. _You are welcome._ Curiously, he stares down at the skeleton’s bare hands. _You’re not wearing your gloves today._

“OH. THEY ARE IN THE WASH.” Papyrus says, doing his best to ignore the way Grillby’s flames tickle.

 _You have nice hands._ Grillby continues, and Papyrus freezes.

Oh.

Oh no.

A genuine compliment!

Papyrus opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again, and a strangled sound almost escapes.

 _...Are you okay?_ Grillby asks, but Papyrus is already through the door. The bartender laughs.

Meanwhile, Sans is half asleep, listening as a monster rambles on and on about the electricity problems going on in their office building. Sure, maybe the lights randomly going on and off is a symptom of a larger problem. Or someone plugged one too many things in the same outlet. But Sans is leaning heavily on…

“ghosts.”

“-and everytime I try to microwave… what?” The monster gives him a disbelieving look.

“yeah.” Sans tries to stifle a yawn, because doing that in front of a customer is totally unprofessional. “ya’know, spooky scary? they probably got into the wires and stuff.”

The monster stares at Sans for a long while. Then, realization dawns upon them. “Carl!” They snarl, “That no good ghost! I knew he was doing something fishy in the generator room!”

As the customer runs off, half eaten ‘dog in one hand, Sans sends a mental apology through the cosmos in the hopes that Carl would somehow receive it. Then he goes back to napping.

Off in the distance, Sans hears someone calling his name. He ignores it, but the voice gets louder and louder.

“SAAAAAAAAAANS!” Papyrus slams into Sans’ hotdog stand. The sign on the top falls to the ground.

“hey bro.” Sans opens one eye, taking in his brother’s rattled appearance. “what’s up?”

“IT… I… HE-!” Papyrus stutters, suspiciously looking around the area. Other than an oblivious bird monster talking on their phone several yards away, the two are alone.

“did bones do something stupid again?” Sans asks, because why else would Papyrus be acting like this?

“NO, SURPRISINGLY HE HAS BEEN WELL BEHAVED FOR THE PAST WEEK.” Papyrus averts his eyes when he says this. It raises Sans’ hackles.

“you sure? i can kick his tailbone for you.” Sans offers.

“NO ONE IS KICKING ANYONE ELSE’S TAILBONE.” Papyrus sternly replies.

“okay.”

“SANS I MEAN IT.”

“i said okay, didn’t i?” The two brothers fall silent. Sans, because he’s waiting for Papyrus to open up. Papyrus, because he isn’t exactly sure what to say. Eventually, Sans gets thirsty and starts sipping on his spare ketchup bottle.

“I THINK GRILLBY IS FLIRTING WITH ME AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO.” Papyrus bursts out. Sans ends up choking. “IT WAS DIFFERENT WHEN THE HU- FRISK DID IT. BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULDN’T WORK OUT BETWEEN US. WE’RE FROM TWO, VERY DIFFERENT, WORLDS! ONE, ABOVE GROUND, AND ME, UNDER THE GROUND. BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE HERE.”

“are... are you sure he was flirting with you?”

“HE TOUCHED MY HAND.”

“so should i kick _his_ tailbone?”

“WHAT DID I JUST SAY LITERALLY SECONDS AGO?” Papyrus fumes, “AND THE PROBLEM ISN’T THAT HE TOUCHED MY HAND. THE PROBLEM IS I LIKED IT.”

“aww, is my ickle little brother falling in looooove?” Sans teases. Papyrus screams and storms away.

The next morning Papyrus wakes up to you still in his bed, drooling on his pillow. A part of him feels relieved- he was beginning to think he was having vivid hallucinations of the entire thing. But now, he knows for sure, and you’re still here, and now he can confront you on your behavior! He reaches forward, intending to shake you awake, but then stops. Remembering what Grillby said about Fuku, he sighs and climbs out of bed. You sleep on, undisturbed.

Opening his bedroom door, he is surprised to see a bedraggled Frisk squinting up at him. “GOOD MORNING HUMAN.”

“G’morning.” Frisk yawns, hugs Papyrus’ leg, then wanders in. Papyrus can only blink as he watches the human child climb into his racecar bed and snuggle right against your ribcage. Papyrus takes a deep breath, lets it out slowly, and then closes the door behind him. He descends the stairs, taking in the sight of ruffled blankets on the floor and a dozing Sans on the couch.

“BROTHER? WHY AREN’T YOU IN YOUR ROOM?”

“ugh, bones went mia.” Sans says without opening his eye sockets, “kiddo couldn’t sleep. kept them company.”

“OH. WELL, THEY ARE IN MY ROOM NOW.” Papyrus says as Sans yawns, “IF FRISK DID NOT SLEEP WELL, I SUPPOSE THEY CAN STAY IN THERE FOR A WHILE LONGER.”

“that’s cool.” Sans slurs.

“I’M GOING TO GO ON A JOG. TRY NOT TO SLEEP THE DAY AWAY.” Papyrus instructs, adjusting his scarf.

“can’t make promises i won’t keep.”

“I SAID TRY.” Papyrus pleads.

“yeah sure.”

He takes the usual route through Snowdin, and then the surrounding woods. As always, he carefully checks each trap of his as he passes, but everything seems to be in order. Once he reaches his final stop, he nods, satisfied, and is about to head back to town when he hears a soft, sniffling sound.

It sounds like a child. Perhaps they got lost while playing? Frowning, Papyrus looks around before finally spotting a familiar yellow color huddling against a tree. It looks like… “FLOWEY!” Papyrus shouts, causing the flower to jerk up in surprise.

“Oh, gee, Papyrus! You sure startled me!” Flowey calls back, smiling as the skeleton jogs over. The skeleton can’t help but note that his smile seems awfully sad.

“I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU IN QUITE A WHILE.” Papyrus smiles down at him, “HOW ARE YOU?”

“I…” Flowey falls silent, petals drooping, “I’m not sure, to be honest.”

“OH NO! WHAT HAPPENED?” Papyrus plops down besides him, worry overcoming his usually cheerful disposition.

“Okay, this is going to sound weird, but listen, okay?” Flowey asks, and Papyrus, after giving it some thought, nods. “Imagine that you tasted something, and the flavor of it is beyond your comprehension. You can’t compare it to anything you’ve ever tasted before, but the name is right there, on the tip of your tongue.”

“GO ON.”

“And one day, you’re going about your business and someone mentions that their favorite flavor is, let’s say, chocolate. But you have no idea what chocolate is, so you ask about it. They can’t describe the flavor, really, so they give you a piece of it instead. And boom. There it is. That flavor that you never had a name for. It’s an actual thing, that other people have experienced, and you’re the only one who has been mystified by it all this time.”

“ER… OKAY?” Papyrus cocks his head to the side like a confused puppy. Flowey smiles at this.

“Now, here’s the part where I’m confused.” He continues, “There are times where I’m glad I found out about chocolate, right? But then, sometimes I wish I never tasted it.”

“I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. DID YOU NOT LIKE THE CHOCOLATE?” Papyrus asks.

“I- I guess I did?” Flowey slumps, “But, I used to like sour things way more before, and… wait, no, forget I said that. It’ll just makes things more confusing.”

“YOU _CAN_ LIKE BOTH SWEET AND SOUR THINGS.” Papyrus points out, “ARGUABLY, YOU NEED A BIT OF BOTH TO HAVE A FULL TONGUE.”

Flowey laughs, “Golly, Papyrus, you sure have a way with words!”

“THANK YOU!” Papyrus beams at the compliment.

“Listen, I’ve taken up so much of your time already.” Flowey seems to perk up, “Thanks for letting me talk. You sure are a great friend!”

“YOU SHOULD SHOW UP MORE OFTEN. I AM SURE MY BROTHER AND THE OTHERS WOULD LOVE TO GET TO KNOW YOU.” Papyrus offers.

“Maybe. One day.” Flowey winks, “Oh, before I forget- did you ever find out where that strange new skeleton came from?”

“SORT OF. IT’S KIND OF COMPLICATED.” Papyrus frowns, “HE CAME FROM A VERY BAD PLACE, FLOWEY, AND DOESN’T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT MUCH.”

“Oh.” Flowey sympathetically nods, “I’m sure they’ll open up to you one day.”

“IN DUE TIME.” Papyrus agrees. Flowey disappears soon after that, but the skeleton stays seated for a little while afterwards. His little acquaintance is a strange one, he thinks. Who hasn’t heard of chocolate? Then again, Papyrus hasn’t heard of hazelnut until Undyne put it in her spaghetti that one time-

“IT WAS A METAPHOR.” Papyrus loudly gasps in realization.

When Papyrus finally returns home later in the evening, he spies you on the couch, reading a book, and studiously ignoring the other skeleton’s presence. He finds this very off putting. Papyrus offered his home, and lately, his room even, to the injured skeleton, and you are _ignoring_ him? Well, that won’t do at all! It’s time to get everything out in the open.

Papyrus steadies his resolve and says, “WHY HAVE YOU BEEN SNEAKING INTO MY BED?”

You drop the book and bury your face into your hands. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you said it like that."

“AND HOW ELSE SHOULD I SAY IT?” Papyrus pouts, “WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH QUITE A LOT, IT IS QUITE RUDE TO SNUGGLE WITHOUT PERMISSION LIKE YOU HAVE FOR THE PAST WEEK.”

“The… past week?” You slowly repeat, “But, I only did it last night?”

“NO, IT WAS FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK.” Papyrus repeats.

“Why didn’t you say anything?!” You are blushing now, a dark purple color that reminds Papyrus of the shield Mettaton shattered that caused all this mess.

“YOU LEFT BEFORE I WOULD WAKE UP, AND I DIDN’T WANT TO CONFRONT YOU IN FRONT OF THE OTHERS.” Papyrus says, “I DIDN’T WANT TO MAKE THINGS AWKWARD.”

“Good job there.” You mutter. Papyrus tries not to take offense at this, as you tend to use sarcasm to make yourself feel better. “I thought I outgrew this.” You murmur next.

“YOU’VE… DONE THIS BEFORE?”

“When I first started living with my uncle.” You bitterly laugh, staring down at your hands, “I would have nightmares, and sleepwalk to the closest SOUL that felt safe to me. He tolerated it, at first. But one night he locked me in the bathroom the entire night. Never did it again.”

Papyrus’ heart breaks. In the corner of his eye socket, he sees Sans pausing at the foot of the stairs, expression frozen. He makes a pleading face at the shorter skeleton, but all Sans does is shake his head. Papyrus can’t help but roll his eyes when his brother starts going back up the stairs, thankful that you are too busy looking at anywhere but his face.

“THAT WAS VERY CRUEL.”

“Yeah, but necessary. I was able to sleep on my own after that.” You sigh, “Maybe we should just do that again. Break the habit.”

“THAT WON’T BE NECESSARY.” Papyrus firmly says. You finally look up into his eye sockets.

“What?”

“IT IS NOT AN INCONVENIENCE TO SHARE MY ROOM.” Papyrus reassures you, “IT WOULD BE BEST, HOWEVER, FOR YOU TO STOP SNEAKING IN.”

You stare at him, expression wavering.

“PLEASE DON’T CRY.”

“I wasn’t going to cry.” You protest, voice hitching.

“STOP DOING THAT THING.” Papyrus shrieks, “IF YOU CRY I’LL START CRYING AND I AM NOT A PRETTY CRIER!”

You end up calling it an early night, hesitating until Papyrus practically shoos you up the stairs. Sans reappears a little while after that like a spooked cat. At Papyrus’ dirty look, he puts his hands up in a placating gesture and says, “you looked like you were handling it fine, ‘sides, three’s a crowd, right?”

“EXCUSES, EXCUSES, SANS.” Papyrus sighs. Sans joins him on the couch.

“heh.” The two brothers fall into a comfortable silence. Sans is about to fall asleep when Papyrus shifts, turning his torso so that he is facing his brother directly.

“IS THIS REALLY HOW IT FEELS LIKE?” Papyrus asks, “TO HAVE A LITTLE BROTHER?” The worry, the sadness, the need to protect and make things right… it’s rather overwhelming. As of right now, he understands Flowey’s confusion about ‘chocolate’ all too well.

“aw, jeez.” Sans quietly laughs, “yeah, pap. it kind of is.”

“HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH IT ALL.” Papyrus wonders.

“it’s just worth it.” Sans shrugs, “when you know that, it gets easier.”

A few hours later Papyrus is staring down at his phone. You’re snoozing already, so you do not see the orange flush on the taller skeleton’s face. For you see, during the whole emotional talk to talks with Flowey, you, and his brother, he missed several texts from Grillby. How the fire elemental got his number, Papyrus is uncertain. Sans’ is usually the number monsters know. But that’s not the point!

It seems that Great Papyrus is being asked out on a date. By Grillby. Next week, when the bar is closed. So that they can cook together. Alone. On a date. He tries to hold back a scream, but a soft whining noise manages to escape anyway.

He’s never been on a real date before. Sure, he has studied the dating manual with an almost religious zest, but he was always of the opinion that practical knowledge beats theoretical. And he has an excited feeling that a date with Grillby will go loads differently than his date with Frisk. He should reply. Now, in fact. If the bartender is sleeping, he’ll get a nice surprise in the morning. Before he could chicken out, he replies with a resounding yes, resists the urge to scream again, and throws his phone on the floor where he can’t reach it.

A moment later, the door opens a sliver, and Frisk pokes their head in, expression alarmed. Papyrus gives them a questioning look, and they point to you and him, a pleading look on their face. Sighing, Papyrus beckons the child over and they scramble to join the two of you with a beaming smile. It’s a tight but comfortable fit, Papyrus realizes. He has no complaints.

When he wakes up to see Sans sleeping at the foot of his bed, however, that is another story.

  
  



	22. Snow Sandwiches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, as of this chapter, Bones has been in the underground for more than a month.
> 
> ... I should probably get him a cake or something soon. Poor guy deserves it.

You wake up one morning, mind fuzzy from a good sleep, and at least two heavy blankets piled on top of you. Frisk is softly snoring besides you, but Papyrus, as usual, is already up for the day. He is bustling around the room, picking up various clothes from off the floor and muttering to himself. With some guilt, you realize most of these clothes belong to you and Frisk. Another thing that catches your attention is what Papyrus is wearing.  
  
The entire time you knew Papyrus, he was wearing that silly ‘battle body’. From what Frisk told you, Sans made it for a costume party a while back and the tall skeleton never bothered to take it off. But, here he is now, wearing black pants and an orange sweater. The only thing that remains of his battle body is the long red scarf covering his neck.   
  
“Papyrus, did something happen to your-?” You ask, voice a little husky from disuse, gesturing to his outfit, “I mean, you look good and all, but why the change?”   
  
“IT IS GRATIFYING TO KNOW THAT MY ATTIRE IS NOTICED AND APPRECIATED.” Papyrus says, dumping a buttload of Frisk’s socks into the laundry basket. “AS FOR MY BATTLE BODY… I AM AFRAID I MUST RETIRE IT. I DISCOVERED A TEAR IN THE FABRIC THAT WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO GET WORSE IF I INSIST ON WEARING IT.” He sadly sighs, but shakes his head. “BUT NEVER MIND ABOUT THAT! I PATCHED IT UP, AND IT WILL BE GOOD TO WEAR AT THE NEXT COSTUME PARTY!”   
  
“Oh. That’s good.” You continue watching as he reorganizes his room with remarkable efficiency. “Uh, sorry about making such a mess. I know you don’t really like sharing-”   
  
“I WOULDN’T HAVE OFFERED TO SHARE IF I DIDN’T WANT TO.” Papyrus glares, “THOUGH IT WOULD BE NICE TO KEEP THE LAUNDRY IN ONE BASKET.”   
  
“Will do.” You salute, and he seems satisfied.   
  
With a long yawn, and a stretch that arches your spine, you roll out of bed, only slightly hissing when the bare bones of your feet hit cold floor. Your clothes are laid out on Papyrus’ desk and chair, and you quickly dress. As the now familiar, well worn fabric passes over your skull, the taller skeleton approaches, brightly smiling.   
  
“DR. ALPHYS IS COMING OVER TODAY.”   
  
“Yeah. To do a check up or something?” You try not to show the worry you’re feeling. While the medication is working its way through your system, the entire household put you under a magical ‘arrest’. That means no trying to use magic in any way, shape, or form beyond what you need to function. Normally, you’d be fine with this, but knowing that this block, this poison, was the thing that made your magic so wonky in the first place…   
  
You want to know what abilities you were supposed to have all this time. There is worry, however, that even with the blockage gone, your magic will still be unpredictable and out of your control.   
  
“INDEED. I AM QUITE CERTAIN YOU’LL BE AT ALMOST ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!” Papyrus boasts.   
  
“Hah. I’d be glad just to get these itchy bandages off...” You mutter, self consciously scratching at a loose one.   
  
“IN DUE TIME.” Papyrus assures you. He looks you over, gaze wavering uncertainly before he pulls you into a close hug. You stay there, stiff, before you melt into it.   
  
Another big change. Just when you think you’re getting used to living underground, first at the inn, then at the lab, and, finally, here- you end up with a lanky, overprotective skeleton that’s fond of giving hugs and hearing bedtime stories. It’s your fault this happened, you know. Every little thing you let slip about Impact, both good and bad, makes Papyrus fret and dote on you. Sans too, in a way that always ends up with you on the couch with takeout from Grillby’s and listening to bad jokes.   
  
It started with the sleepwalking, you recall. When Papyrus carried you back here from Waterfall, you managed to get a good feel of his SOUL, and you subconsciously locked in on it. It’s kind of embarrassing, to feel all warm and fuzzy next to the big lug, but this is your reality now. You’re glad it’s Papyrus, though. He would never think to use your weakness against you. At least, you hope not.   
  
“Ah, okay… I think I’m all hugged out now.” You nervously laugh, and freeze when Papyrus affectionately nuzzles the top of your skull.   
  
“ALRIGHTY.” Papyrus releases you, picks up the laundry basket with one hand, and strides out the door.   
  
“Isn’t he supposed to be dating Grillby now?” Frisk asks, innocently blinking at you from the bed. They must’ve just woken up.   
  
“He is.” You recall them having a date just a few days ago. Papyrus was practically vibrating with giddiness when he got home that night.   
  
“Then why was he all touchy with you? With the… nuzzling?” They wrinkle their nose.   
  
“I nuzzle you,” You point out, “does that mean we’re dating?”   
  
“Well, no!” They protest.   
  
“It’s a skeleton thing, I guess.” You sigh, “When it comes to showing affection to close friends and family, we mostly do human things, like hugging or shaking hands. But we nuzzle instead of kiss.”   
  
“Because you don’t have lips.” Frisk thoughtfully adds.   
  
“Because we don’t have lips.” You agree, “So when I nuzzle you, or Papyrus nuzzles me, it’s like platonically kissing someone on their cheek.”   
  
“But you blushed.” The child mischievously grins.   
  
You make an annoyed sound and approach the smug little shit. “Do you really want to go there, kid?”   
  
“Go where?” They laugh, and when you’re at just the right distance, they leap, drawing their arms around your neck, making you stumble closer so that they can obnoxiously place a kiss on your cheek. “See?! There it is again!”   
  
You grumpily push the giggling kid back onto the bed. “I don’t have to take this you know! I’m going to go hang out with Sans at the cool kid’s table!”   
  
Frisk stays where they are, dramatically whining, “Nooo! Don’t go!” As you walk out the door, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter, you can hear Frisk add, “We don’t even have a table downstairs!”   
  
Papyrus is vacuuming in the living room. He gestures for you to go to the kitchen, and you give him a thumbs up before doing just that. Sans is there already, a mug of liquid nasty waiting right next to him on the counter. Without a word, you take that mug and drain it in one go. After almost two weeks on this stuff, you know that’s the best way. The other skeleton has a glass of water waiting for you as soon as you’re done, and you swish it in your mouth before spitting it into the re-renovated sink.

The first few days were awkward when it came to the kitchen. Papyrus was used to being the only one using it, but when you started making yourself at home, you wanted to start cooking your own things. You also started getting your own ingredients and supplies, so he had to clear out the fridge so that you’d have your own shelf. When you almost fell off the stool trying to reach the tall sink, Papyrus also lowered it, moving all of his spare bones to the supply closet. You think Sans was happier about that than you were.  
  
“moment of truth.” Sans comments as you wipe the corner of your mouth.   
  
“Yeah.” You cross your arms and lean against the rim of the sink.   
  
“it’ll be fine, i can feel it in my bones.” He grins at your snort, “what? am i getting underneath your skin? i’m just trying to have a heart to heart here.”   
  
“Okay, wise guy.” You shake your head, “If you want a heart to heart, answer this- why haven’t you been calling me weird names lately?”   
  
“uhh, buddy, the last time i did that, you tried to have an argument with me.” Sans turns his back to rummage through the fridge, missing your frown.   
  
“It… it was a rough day.” You admit, “And I was overreacting. I don’t really mind the guessing game. Think it’s funny, actually.”   
  
“did we even guess your name yet?” Sans asks, and you smile at the ketchup bottle in one of his hands, and your leftover chili in the other. He was never one to eat at home, you remember Papyrus complaining, but your old go to of cheap canned beans and spices seems to be a hit.   
  
“Nope.” You shrug, “But even if you did, would I really admit it?”   
  
“guess not.” he muses before squirting a bunch of his favorite condiment into your food, “...will there ever be a day that you’ll, heh, spill the beans?” You fall silent at that, uncomfortably shifting from one foot to the other. “you know, just because your uncle told you never to reveal your name, or something like that, doesn’t mean you have to actually listen-”   
  
“Why would you think it was Impact that told me that?” You defensively reply.   
  
“well, i have that name at least.” Sans mutters, looking uneasy at the stricken look on your face. “hey, why does it matter that i know that? you did say he fell down, right? even if i try to track him down, what can i do with old dust?” He begins shoveling food into his mouth.   
  
“It doesn’t matter.” You repeat, trying to relax, “You’re right. Who’s to say that was even his name anyway? Bones isn’t mine. Hell, maybe he wasn’t even family either. Sucks, but he’s definitely good at lying, right?”   
  
Sans puts the bowl down and grabs your wrist. You take in his uncharacteristically solemn expression. “this is why i stopped that little guessing game. it’s not fun unless we’re both enjoying it. i don’t care what you say, i know you’re not. and bones? hey, look at me.” You reluctantly meet his eyes. “if that’s your name, then it’s your name, okay?”   
  
A knock disturbs your conversation, and with a jolt, you realize the loud hum of the vacuum is gone- Papyrus must’ve finished cleaning up. Sans lets go of you, and you head towards the door. The other skeleton is nowhere to be found when you enter the living room, Sans lagging behind you. “It’s got to be Alphys.” You say, gulping. “I hope I get good news today.”   
  
“you’ll be fine.” Sans is quick to answer, and when you pause at the door, not making a move to open it, he’s the one to turn the handle. On the other side of the door is Alphys, bundled in a cute pink coat and holding a file, and Undyne, wearing her usual and hovering protectively behind her.   
  
“Hey punks!” Undyne greets, smiling way too broadly to be genuine. She must be here to make sure Sans doesn’t upset Alphys again, you think. “I heard old Bonesy here is getting a check up today and… I kinda wanted to be there? Purely for moral support, of course!”   
  
“B-bones!” Alphys darts forward to wrap you in a hug. You awkwardly pat her back in response, feeling a bit overwhelmed. “I- I know you told me over texts t-that you’re feeling a lot b-better, but w-wow! You do look like you’re re-recovering well!” She lets you go and beams up at you until you smile back. “W-well, take a seat, a-and we can get started.” Without further ado. you find yourself seated on the couch with three monsters hovering over you.   
  
“bandages first?” Sans quietly asks, and Alphys nods. He is the one to take them off, slowly and gently. Once they’re off, the tip of his phalanges brush against sensitive bone, and you shiver. “hurts?”   
  
“No. Just, raw, I guess?” You fumble for words, but Sans nods in understanding anyway.   
  
“T-the cracks aren’t even v-visible anymore! I-if my calculations are correct, umm, it m-might be your m-magic helping with the healing process! Now that, well, you can probably do more of it now.”   
  
“Still, you have a badass crack right down that eye of yours.” Undyne grins, drawing a line down the middle of her own, “Totally cool!”   
  
“Does that mean I still look young and pretty enough to marry into money?”   
  
Undyne cackles and slaps your shoulder. “Totally!”   
  
“I- I’m so glad it healed up like this.” Alphys says, sniffling, “We- we had to practically g-glue your skull b-back together.”   
  
“turn that pupil back on.” Sans urges. Slowly, cautiously, you do so, sinking back into the cushions with relief when the vision there is slowly restored.   
  
“I see fine.” You murmur, trying your best not to flinch when Alphys shines a light into it.   
  
“N-no debris, the edges are s-smooth.” Alphys clicks the light off and scribbles something on her report.   
  
“now what about that blockage we’ve been working on?” Sans asks, settling on the couch by your side.   
  
“R-right!” Alphys reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small device that looks more like a tablet than anything else. She fumbles with it for a few moments before she aims it at your sternum, where the focal point of your SOUL resides. The screen on the device flickers on, and you can see an outline of your figure. Spread throughout the outline, much like a human’s circulatory system, are your mana lines.   
  
Skeleton Monsters are their own kind of special breed, you know. Without muscle, skin, and fur, there’s not much holding a skeleton together besides their magic. Which is what makes what Impact did to you so horrifying. These mana lines that you are studying, those are your lifelines.   
  
“T-the blockage i-is right… h-here.” Alphys tilts the screen so that you can see better. Her claw taps against one of the lines running through your skull. When you squint, you can see...something there. “It’s g-getting a lot smaller. M-maybe another f-few weeks until it’s gone completely!”   
  
“Can he do magic yet?!” Undyne bursts out, an impatient look on her face.   
  
“we’re not going to rush it.” Sans responds, glaring at the tall monster.   
  
“S-sans, U-undyne!” Alphys snaps, “I’m the… I’m the doctor here, alright?”   
  
“What’s the verdict?” You ask before any more bickering can occur. Alphys breathes a sigh of relief before focusing her attention back to you.   
  
“W-well...” She fiddles with her glasses, “Y-you should s-still take it easy! But t-there’s no more risk of a- a stroke? Is that the right word? A-anyway, you can p-practice with s-small things, only! N-no shields like last time!”   
  
“Seriously?” You breathe, and Alphys giddily smiles.   
  
“Y-yeah!”   
  
“OKAY!” Undyne roars, slamming a fist into the palm of her other hand, “That is AWESOME.”   
  
“Amazing.” You agree, closing your eye sockets and hiding your face in your arms.   
  
“uh, you okay there? that… doesn’t look like a happy reaction.”   
  
“I think… I need some air.”   
  
“sure, you want paps or me to tag along.” It’s not a question. Whenever you went outside, it was usually with one of the brothers. You don’t know whether it’s for your benefit or theirs- it’s not like you’re really in any danger. It’s starting to get annoying.   
  
“Alone.” You decide, standing up and irritably wiping at your eye sockets. “I need to take a walk.”   
  
“Have fun, punk!” Undyne nods, giving you a thumbs up.   
  
“undyne.”   
  
“Let the nerd have a little time to himself!” Undyne snaps, “I have a pretty good feeling you guys haven’t given him any space since he got hurt.”   
  
You leave before another argument can occur. Leaning against the front door, you breathe in the cold air and feel the tension leaving your shoulderblades. Exhaling produces a cloud of air that disappears soon after. The sight of it is even more relaxing, and you allow yourself a grin. You’re getting better. What Impact did isn’t permanent.   
  
A small, relieved laugh is released into the air. You tilt your skull up to look at the faux sky filled with nothing but snow clouds. Alphys once explained to you, how the condensation of Waterfall travels back to Snowdin, producing the ice and snow that is then transported to Hotland. Hotland’s steam, in turn, travels back to Waterfall. A small water cycle all by itself. Amazing. The underground is amazing.   
  
“Gee, for once you’re outside without any bodyguards.” Flowey pops up beside you, a neutral look on his face.   
  
“Hey, Flowey.” Leaning against the wall, you slide down until you’re cross legged on the snow. “I hear you are to thank for all those Mettaton reruns they’ve been playing.”   
  
“I can’t believe Frisk didn’t reload!” Flowey shouts, “I was so sure if I did that, they would realize how ridiculous the whole thing was and… just reset the day!” So Flowey probably doesn’t know about Frisk’s problem with the ‘load’ button. Did the kid only tell you?     
  
“That, and the fact I almost died.” You egg the plant on.   
  
“That too!” Flowey grumbles, looking you over. Much more quietly, he asks, “Are you really alright?”   
  
“Getting there.” You confirm, a little touched that he felt the need to ask.   
  
“I thought you were turning to dust.” Flowey’s petals droop, so you reach over and gently pet one.   
  
“Eh, not this time.” You try to shrug the flower’s statement off. Everyone has been pretty vague about what shape you were in- besides the whole gluing your skull back together comment, and the fact no one would let you remove the bandages until Alphys came by. All you can surmise is that it wasn’t a pretty sight. “What did I look like anyway?”   
  
“Like Mettaton threw a bomb at your face.” Flowey hisses at you, “What do you think you looked like, idiot?!”   
  
You tug on a petal, ignoring the indignant “OW!” this produces. “Soo…” You drawl, “Gonna yell at me some more about Frisk, or are you finally ready to talk to them again?”   
  
“I don’t want to talk to them.”   
  
“It’s been…” You check your phone, “over a month now? Woah.” You were never one to keep track of time. Usually, you’d notice when stores would bring out the holiday decorations, or when the snow finally melts for spring, or when fireworks light up the sky at the park… events that marked time. Not some numbers on a phone. But they don’t have these things underground, do they?   
  
“So what? It’s not like time _means_ anything down here.” The neutral look on his face is back. “Sooner or later, you’re going to wake up on the surface, in your bed, and this will be nothing.”   
  
“And you still won’t talk to Frisk?”   
  
“Obviously. Talking didn’t help all the other times. Even when I was…” He pauses, “Different.”   
  
“Different?” You ask, “What do you mean by that?”   
  
“Maybe one day you’ll find out, if Frisk sees this through.” Flowey jerks his head towards the door, “They’re about to go searching for you. Looks like they don’t trust you to take two steps without something happening.”   
  
He disappears into the ground when the front door opens, and Papyrus pokes his head out. Spotting you, he calls back inside, “HE IS HERE, SITTING IN THE SNOW. WHY ALL THE HUBBUB?!” Frisk slides underneath Papyrus’ arm to sit by you.   
  
Grinning, you ruffle their hair. “Where have you and Papyrus been?”   
  
“I hate going to the doctor and having people being all over me.” Frisk has a distasteful look on their face, as if recalling a bad memory. “Figured you’d hate that too. Papyrus agreed, so we did some puzzles upstairs. You look like the bad guy from _The Lion King_ now, you know that?”   
  
“You mean the evil uncle?” You raise a brow as Frisk gasps and covers their mouth, eyes wide with guilt. That is, until you burst out laughing. Then they jab you in the ribs with their elbow.   
  
“WHILE WAITING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT TO BE OVER, WE SOLVED YESTERDAY’S JUNIOR JUMBLE. WE ONLY LOOKED AT THE ANSWERS TWICE!” Papyrus plops down in front of the two of you, resting his hands on his femurs.   
  
“Congratulations.” You give Frisk a wry smile, and they smirk back.   
  
“NGAH!” Undyne bursts through the door. She makes a face at the snow, but joins the three of you anyway. “PAPYRUS! I still can’t believe you managed to snag a boyfriend before ME!”   
  
“WELL, IF YOU STOPPED WRITING A MILLION LETTERS THAT WON’T BE SENT AND JUST _SPEAK_ TO HER, MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE A DATEMATE TOO!” Papyrus replies, clearly irritated with the topic.   
  
In response to your confusion, Frisk mutters, “Undyne just found out about Grillby. Been nagging him about it just before he went to look for you.”   
  
“I need to get the words just right!” Undyne protests, cheeks flushing.   
  
“Letters? To whom?” You ask, looking between a glaring Undyne and smug Papyrus.   
  
“UNDYNE HAS THE MOST BOISTEROUS CRUSH ON DR.- NYEH!” Papyrus flails as Undyne tackles him into the snow.   
  
“Shut up! She’s right inside!” Undyne growls.   
  
“Undyne has a crush on Alphys?” You mutter to Frisk.   
  
“Yeah. Alphys likes her too.” Frisk answers.   
  
“But doesn’t Alphys have a crush on, like, everybody?”   
  
Frisk sighs, and looks over at Undyne, who is cackling and mashing snow against Papyrus’ face. “It’s different, with these two. You’ll see.”   
  
“So, Alphys says I can do magic again.” You decide to mention.     
  
“I heard.” They lean comfortably against you, knowing the best way to get comfortable without any sharp edges digging into their side. “But I gotta show you something before we get back to Hotland.”   
  
“Show me what?”   
  
“FUHUHU! Now EAT your snow sandwich!” Undyne cackles.   
  
“BUT I DON’T WANT A SNOW SANDWICH!” Papyrus protests as she smashes snow against his jaw.   
  
Frisk sighs. “Don’t think they’ll notice if we disappear for a little while.” They stand up and grab your hand. Curiously, you follow them around the house, and to the small attachment to it that’s always locked. Digging into their pockets, they pull out a keychain. A silver colored key is attached to it.   
  
“Isn’t this Sans’ shed?” You ask, mind racing. Papyrus told you, once, about it. It’s where the taller skeleton’s brother keeps old things he doesn’t use anymore.   
  
Frisk nods, inserts the key into the lock, and turns it. The door silently opens. “I need you to know what I know if we’re going to do this right. And it all started in here.”   
  
They step inside.   
  
You follow.   
  
  


 


	23. Where Sans is Accused of Keeping You Hostage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much struggling with this chapter, but now you know a little bit more about what exactly Frisk is aiming for. Yaaaay!

_“What in the world are you doing now?” You jump as Impact’s rough voice reaches your ears. Turning, you give the older skeleton an innocent grin. In your hands is the notebook your uncle likes to frequently write in. Curiosity got the better of you, and while he was sleeping, you snuck it out of his bag. To your surprise, everything he wrote down was written in symbols that you don’t understand. This didn’t deter you, however. The past several hours was spent trying to decipher everything._  
  
_“I think I got a few words down.” You reply, tapping a page, “I’m pretty sure this word is “date”, that one is- Hey!” Impact snatches the notebook from you, a disbelieving look on his face._  
  
_“And how do you figure that?” He rasps, rubbing sleep from his eye sockets. You gesture to a piece of paper on the desk, filled to the brim with your scribbles._  
  
_“Repeating symbols. Sentence structures. Everything has a pattern.” You shrug when he gives you another stern look. “I couldn’t sleep.”_  
  
_“How is it that you can go down the right path to deciphering Hands,” Impact incredulously asks, “And yet Newton’s Laws still elude you?”_  
  
_“This is funner than science.”_  
  
_“Kid, everything is science.” Impact’s bones practically creak when he sits on the chair besides yours. “Hell, magic is just something that science hasn’t explained yet.”_  
  
_“Nuh-uh!” You protest, frowning._  
  
_“Science and math run the world, boy.” Impact gravely says, “The sooner you get that through that thick skull of yours, the better.” At the mulish look in your eyes, he amends, “Tell you what. For every chapter in your textbook you master, I’ll give you a lesson in Hands.”_  
  
_“Promise?”_  
  
_“Wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t mean it.”_  
  
Sans’ shed turns out to be nothing like you thought. You were expecting boxes full of old pranks, clothes, furniture. The sort of thing normal people put in their extra storage. Instead, when Frisk turns the lights on, you get squeaky clean ceramic tiles, pale blue walls, a sheet covering a large object, and a desk shoved against one of the walls. There’s a blueprint laying there, along with various instruments that look vaguely familiar. Everything looks so clean, so sterile. Almost like a…  
  
“Sans has a lab?” You are honestly very surprised, even if you shouldn’t be. He did, after all, make the medicine that countered Impact’s poison. He also, you remind yourself, worked with the previous royal scientist. The one Frisk is interested in finding more about.  
  
“A few timelines ago…” Frisk says, approaching the desk, “I proved to Sans that I was a time traveller. Used secret codes and everything. He gave me a key to his room. Of course, the whole thing was a prank on his part.” They snort. “But I snooped, found the key to here. And well, I found this.”  
  
You walk over to the desk and Frisk pulls open a drawer. Inside are several papers. You take one out. It’s a drawing of three figures, two wearing lab coats, and one, smaller than the rest, wearing a striped shirt and large orange boots.. They all had smiles on their faces. “Looks like something a child drew.” You comment, turning it around in your hands. “Don’t forget?” You read, frowning.  
  
“Look at the next one.” Frisk presses, and you put the drawing down.  
  
The next is a picture. Frisk is standing there, beaming at the camera. Surrounding them are Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Queen Toriel, and King Asgore. The sun is probably in their eyes, you assume, why else would the majority of them be squinting? “This is from when you freed them.” You whisper.  
  
“Yeah.” They sigh, “Sans took it. I thought he just wanted a reminder of that moment, to look at years down the road. Turns out he knew I was planning to reset again- He probably took a shortcut back here when I wasn’t looking. Stored the picture here.”  
  
“... He took a shortcut?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“To underneath the mountain. Where there is only one exit- the one everyone was standing in front of. Without you noticing.”  
  
“Yup.” Frisk looks amused.  
  
“Care to explain that one to me?” You ask, twitching.  
  
“Sans is a skeleton of many mysteries.” They laugh, “How he can get from one place to another in a split second, I don’t know. But he can.”  
  
“And he can also… store memories here? And the resets don’t affect this place?” You wonder, “How?”  
  
“Again- I don’t know.” Frisk shrugs, “He has a lot of notes, but I can’t read them. They’re in weird symbols. I think they could be about past timelines though.”  
  
You place the picture besides the drawing and take out the notebook that’s left. Opening it, your eyes widen. “Well, you’re not wrong.” You scan through the pages, “How many resets did you do?” Sans took detailed notes- mostly of how long it takes for Frisk to get from one area to the other, where to expect them next, and any major fights they have had. The shortest time you see recorded are three days. The longest, before now, was a week. When you get to the last few pages, the notes on _this_ timeline, there are a lot of question marks and frustrated scribbles.  
  
“I, uh, don’t want to talk about it.” Guilt is written on their face, “Wait, you can read it?!”  
  
“It’s in Hands.” You shrug, “Super duper secret skeleton language. You wouldn’t know of it.”  
  
“Ugh.” Frisk wrinkles their nose at you. You plop the notebook back in the drawer. Something shiny catches your eyes, and you grab it. A plastic badge. The front is faded, but you’re pretty sure it’s an ID Card. Probably for his old job. And then you see, shoved into the very back of that drawer, is the knife.  
  
You stare at it. Sans must have thought it’d be safe from your prying fingers here. Frisk certainly didn’t know it’s here. Otherwise, they would have mentioned it, right? It’s very tempting to take the object back. Who knows when you might need to defend yourself again, right? You hiss through your teeth and almost slam the drawer shut again. Not today.  
  
Ignoring Frisk’s questioning look, you open another drawer. A photo album greets you. With a small grin, you open it, expecting baby pictures and other embarrassing moments. You’re half right. The beginning is a lot of Sans and Papyrus when they were younger. As they grew, more monsters joined the photographs. You don’t recognize any of them. The last page is of Sans, Papyrus, and another skeleton. There’s a glum expression on the stranger’s face, like he doesn’t want to be there. Party hats are on all of their skulls, and Sans is blowing a party blower against his face. Papyrus is focused on the cake in front of them.  
  
“That guy.” The child points out, “I think they’re the last royal scientist.”  
  
“What’s so special about this guy?” You wonder, “That you’re searching for him?”  
  
“Because, the only person that remembers him is Sans, and that’s probably only because of the lab here.” They shake their head, “Every time I ask about the last royal scientist, I can’t even get a name! It’s like, everyone remembers the _concept_ of him, but not the skeleton himself. It’s weird, because he created the core, right? The thing that gives electricity to everyone here! So, why? I just… I feel like I need to know. It’s important.”  
  
“And when we get down to the truth, what do you expect is going to happen?” You ask.  
  
“I don’t know.” Frisk admits, “But he’s here, Bones. He’s probably confused and scared, and I need to help him. And, maybe then, he can help me.”  
  
You approach the last thing in the room you haven’t inspected. The object under the sheets, you can see now, is some sort of machine. Dials and buttons greet you, with some kind of screen on the side. Panels are missing, exposing wires and all sorts of mechanical things you’ve also seen at Alphys’. “And what do you need help with? That, well, we can’t do?” You poke a wire.  
  
“I told you, when we went up against Mettaton…” Frisk watches as you carefully replace the sheet, “That the load button was gone. But, before finding that room, it was still there at least.”  
  
“...What room?”  
  
“I. uh, was wandering around in the last timeline, just before facing Asgore.” Frisk shifts uncomfortably, “Visited Snowdin, went on a walk through Waterfall. And I found a room I’ve never been to before. Inside was a figure. Never seen him before in my life, but he looked so much like in that picture! When I tried to talk to him, he disappeared. Thought it was strange, but I moved on. From then on, loading became kinda… glitchy. Half the time it wouldn’t work.”  
  
“You fought the king?” You can only take a few things at a time, and Frisk is unloading a ton of information right now.  
  
“Now, in this timeline, I found the room again.” Frisk ignores your question in favor of giving you a look that says _did you really need to ask that_? “Didn’t see him this time, but felt his presence. He knew I was there. And then my load button started cracking- like when the glass on a windshield splinters. The cracks kept on getting worse… and when I went up against Mettaton, it shattered into tiny pieces and disappeared.”  
  
“And you think he did it?” You muse, and Frisk nods.  
  
“Maybe. And I told you before- this is the last run. No more resets, no more excuses. Except.” They sardonically laugh, “I’m only human. The temptation will always be there. So. If he indeed took away my ability to load. He can do it to the reset button.” You let out a low whistle. “There. Now you know. I’m sure I’ll have to explain more things. But I think- that’s enough for now?”

“Yeah.” You agree, “More than enough.”  
  
Talking so much seems to have worn Frisk out. They lean on you as you stumble out of Sans’ lab. Holding your hand, they lock the door with the other before pocketing the key again. A quick walk back to the front of the house reveals Papyrus and Undyne rolling snow into tall piles, all the while shouting at each other. Sans is staring from the door, flashing a nervous grin at you and Frisk as Alphys fiddles on her phone next to him.  
  
“What’re they doing now?” You ask as Frisk darts towards Sans, burying themselves against the other skeleton’s blue jacket.

“snowman competition.” Sans runs his hands through Frisk’s hair, making a face whenever a strand tangles around one of his joints, “i see you two disappeared for a while there. ‘s no problem, normally, but a certain snowbunny showed up a few seconds ago, looking for you. said she’s tired of being avoided. i must say, that’s real cold of you, bones. thought you would’ve talked to her by now.”  
  
Ugh, Sans is rattled by something. You’ve been hanging around the brothers enough to know that the puns only come out when he doesn’t want to talk about something.  
  
_“EVERYTIME I TRY TO SAY SOMETHING SERIOUS TO SANS, HE DEFLECTS WITH PUNS.” Papyrus huffs one night, pouting to himself, “HE KNOWS HOW THIS MAKES ME FEEL. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE’S COMFORTABLE WITH ME BEING CLOSER WITH ONE OF HIS CLOSE FRIENDS. IS THAT REALLY SO UNCOMFORTABLE FOR HIM TO DISCUSS?”_  
  
_“To be fair,” You mutter into his collarbone, “Grillby IS made of hot stuff.”_  
  
_“BONES, I AM TRYING TO VENT HERE.”_  
  
_“Sorry.”_  
  
“bones?” You blink at Sans, who is giving you another one of his looks.  
  
“I’m not ready to talk to her yet.” You say. Mopsy really came by? In one way, you’re kind of hopeful that means she still wants to be friends. In another, maybe she just wanted to tell you to never speak to her again face to face.  
  
“it’s been like two weeks.”  
  
“What if she hates me?” Your voice is small, and you look away when Sans rolls his eye sockets at you.  
  
“S-she doesn’t hate you.” Alphys speaks up, “As… As a matter of fact- She a-accused Sans of k-keeping you away from her!”  
  
“that’s a nice way of saying ‘kidnap’ and ‘holding hostage’.” Sans comments.  
  
“Stop being a stupid doodoo butt.” Frisk pipes up, sticking their tongue out at you. Sans snickers and you glare at the two of them, “Just go say hi.”  
  
“Fine, fine. I’m going.”  
  
The walk to the inn is both familiar and strange. You haven’t walked down the main road in quite a while, but nothing’s changed. Well, you amend as you pass the large tree in the middle of town, maybe a little bit has changed. There are certainly a lot more presents underneath than you remember.  
  
Sweetpea is building a snowcastle just out front. His ears perk up when he spots you, vigilantly watching as you approach. “Hey.” You awkwardly greet him.  
  
“Mama says Frisk is a human.” Sweetpea replies, making you choke on air, “But I played with them just the other day. I thought they’d be scarier.”  
  
“Well, Frisk is just a kid.” You reply, voice tight. He nods at this.  
  
“Yeah. She said that children’s SOULs are no good to the king, so it’s okay to be their friend.” He shrugs, “Why haven’t you come back? We missed you.”  
  
“I was…” You hesitate, “Very sick.” Mopsy lied to her kid about Frisk’s SOUL. You hope that means she’s on your side.   
  
“Sicker than when Mama kept making you cinnamon bunnies?” He asks.  
  
“Way sicker.” You confirm, “And she wouldn’t have known how to make me better. But, now that I’m well again, I came to talk to her.”  
  
“Good.” Sweetpea nods in satisfaction and returns to his sculpting. You watch him for a few more seconds, rebuilding your nerve before finally turning to the door and opening it.  
  
The inn is just the same as you remember. it. It’s kind of unnerving. It feels like a lifetime ago, the last time you stepped foot in here, but you already feel nostalgic and at peace.  
  
You’ve heard others explain this sensation. The ones that grew up with their parents, only to move in with their partners. Their childhood home will always be a warm, comforting place to return to. But it’s not where they belong anymore. It’s startling, you realize, to know that you really belong with Sans and Papyrus now.  
  
Mopsy looks up as you close the door behind you. “Hello, how can I help- Bones?” She stands from her seat behind the counter, eyes wide with… is that relief? Did she really think Sans kept you locked up in his house?  
  
“Sorry I couldn’t-” _Wouldn’t_ , you think to yourself, “come by sooner. A lot ha-!” You’re cut off when Mopsy leaps over to pull you into a tight hug.  
  
“You- you numbskull!” She cries out, pulling back to study your face. The rabbit sucks in a breath when she spots the crack across your eye socket, but doesn’t comment on it. Instead, she goes on to say, “What were you thinking?!”  
  
“Mopsy… Frisk is kind of…” You nervously chuckle, not sure how to put it into words. What is Frisk to you, anyway? This fondness, trust, and kinship you feel towards them… you’ve never felt anything like it before. Sans and Papyrus, you’re reluctant to admit, are also starting to get included in this… whatever it is. You try not to think too hard about it.  
  
“They’re yours, aren’t they?” Mopsy sighs, shaking her head, “No- don’t you deny a thing! Anyone that saw it, the way you got between Mettaton and the human, they’d be able to tell too. Only a parent would do such a thing. So, I guess my real question is- Why haven’t you come by sooner?!”  
  
“You said you didn’t want to get involved.” You know you said the wrong thing when Mopsy gives you a dirty look and a light slap on the shoulder. “Ow.” You insolently respond.  
  
“That was before I knew you were already involved!” Mopsy cries out, “Honestly, how fickle do you think I am? I don’t just throw friends away when they do something I don’t agree with, I thought I already proved that-”  
  
And now it’s your turn to wrap her up in a hug. She melts into it, nuzzling against you the way Papyrus would after a bad night. “Sorry.” You quietly apologize, and she sniffs before nodding.  
  
“Promise you’ll stop avoiding me.” She orders.  
  
“Promise.” You assure her.  
  
“Okay.” She steps back and takes a deep breath. “Are you… moving back in?”  
  
You think about it for a split second. Truth is, you don’t want to sleep by yourself any time soon. Nights spent with Frisk and Papyrus are the best sleep you’ve ever gotten, especially when you’re trying to chase away nightmares. It’s embarrassing to admit that out loud, though, so you decide to go with the original reason you started staying at their place.  
  
“I’m going to be staying with Sans and Papyrus.” You bashfully rub the back of your neck, not sure how much you should tell the innkeeper without causing her more worry. “Something came up, while I was getting checked out after that fight with Mettaton. I, uh, need treatment, and Sans has been monitoring everything, so…”  
  
“Are you okay?” Mopsy is quick to ask.  
  
“I’m doing a lot better. Still have a ways to go, but that’s just how it is.” You smile, and she beams back at you.  
  
“Well, if you ever need a break from those two,” Mopsy laughs, “You know where to go.”  
  
Later that night, when you and Papyrus are already asleep, Frisk sneaks out of the room and sits on the couch downstairs. They patiently wait for Chara to say whatever it is they want to say.  
  
_You do not have to go that far._ They comment after a solid five minutes of silence.  
  
_Yes I do._ Frisk disagrees. _I told you I will keep my promise- just not how._  
  
_Does self control really elude you._ Their comment is dry. Resigned. _That you have to take away our one trump card all together._  
  
_I think you know the answer to that._ Frisk retorts.  
  
_Most would not purposely cripple themselves for the sake of a promise._ Chara sighs. _I am almost impressed._  
  
_Yeah, well, we’re not like most people, are we? It’s about time we really give up control._ Frisk closes their eyes.  
  
Chara falls silent after this. Frisk just hopes they truly agree.  
  
  
  
  
  



	24. Life Imitating Art

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another difficult chapter. Dunno if it's too soon, I mean, Bones has only been dancing around this shit for a month. Also, he and Flowey have an adventure. Have fun with that. 
> 
> It started off when a friend asked, "Bones has been well behaved lately. I wonder how spectacularly he will mess this up," SO I handed her my drink and said "Hold my beer."
> 
> And that's how my writing process works.

“EXCELLENT WORK, BONES! JUST TWO MORE LAPS AND WE’LL BE READY FOR ANOTHER TEN! NO, WAIT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THAT IS NOT RUNNING!” You feel a tug on the back of your sweater and you’re lifted into the air, dangling like a kitten. “LYING FACEDOWN IN THE SNOW… IF I DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER, I’D SAY THAT MEANS YOU ARE TIRED. BUT HOW CAN THAT BE? YOU WERE DOING SO WELL!”   
  
“I was built for sprinting, not marathon running!” You feebly protest.   
  
“DR. ALPHYS INFORMED ME YOU RAN FROM HER LAB TO THE MTT RESORT IN A RECORD SHATTERING TIME!” Papyrus accuses.   
  
“I sprinted.” You try to shrug, but the way the fabric of your sweater is stretched, you can only manage to raise your shoulders half way.   
  
Now that your physical injuries are mostly healed up, Papyrus got this idea in his skull that you needed to do more physical activity. Apparently vegging out on the sofa isn’t one of them. When you pointed out that Sans was doing the exact same thing, this only resulted in Papyrus dragging you out the door, shouting that he “WILL NOT LOSE ANOTHER BROTHER TO LETHARGY.” You’d feel a lot more touched about this if he didn’t immediately start making you jog around the entire perimeter of town.    
  
“WHY DO I HAVE THE FEELING THAT THIS ‘SPRINTING’ YOU SPEAK OF IS JUST ANOTHER WORD FOR RUNNING?” Papyrus suspiciously asks. You’re about to answer when a loud woof interrupts. Turning your head, you see that it’s Doggo squinting at the two of you.   
  
“Papyrus. There’s… uhhh… a thing. To do. At Grillby’s.” His eyes flicker to the other skeleton’s scarf, the ends fluttering in the wind. “...Dogaressa isn’t nearby, is she?”   
  
“NO? ALSO, WHY WOULD I NEED TO BE AT THE RESTAURANT TODAY? I WAS ALREADY AT GRILLBY’S LAST NIG-” Papyrus flushes, eye sockets glaring when you cheekily grin at him, “I MEAN, WHAT THING?”   
  
“The puppy shower,” Doggo reminds him, “You said you’d help decorate? We’ve gotta do this fast, before she and Dogamy take their official leave.”   
  
“OH! OF COURSE.” Papyrus gently places you on your feet. To spite him, you immediately plop back down in the snow. “HONESTLY.” He sputters before turning his full attention to Doggo. “I WILL BE ALONG SHORTLY.”   
  
“Don’t mind me, I’ll just stay here a while.” You say, giving Papyrus a thumbs up. Doggo barks a laugh and waves before continuing on his way.   
  
“PLEASE DON’T.” Papyrus sighs. A moment later he sits down next to you.   
  
“‘sup?” You ask as he rests his chin on his hands.   
  
“FOR QUITE A WHILE, I CRAVED THIS, YOU KNOW.” He sighs, “BEING SO POPULAR, ALL OF A SUDDEN, AND WITH A DATEMATE TO BOOT! WOWIE! EXCITING, BUT OVERWHELMING, ALL AT ONCE. I NEVER REALIZED HOW TIRING IT IS TO HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE.”   
  
“After you help set up the puppy shower, want to watch TV and eat junk food with the rest of us lazybones?” You offer, and Papyrus lights up.   
  
“YES PLEASE.” He gives you a quick one armed hug, a bonk on the head, and off he goes with an aura of energy that is exhausting to look at. It makes you briefly entertain the thought that Papyrus is some sort of sponge. One that absorbs the energy of others, and that’s why Sans always looks so tired. With a soft groan you lay back on the ground, covering your eye sockets with one arm.    
  
“Bones!” It’s Frisk. You frown, slightly irritated. When you were taken by Papyrus early this morning, the brat was nowhere to be found. It’s pretty obvious they knew what the skeleton was planning, and didn’t want any part of it, as they stayed hidden for the better part of the day.    
  
“What do you want, you little traitor?” You growl, and Frisk snorts.   
  
“I’ll have you know, I had a pretty exhausting day too.” They pat your arm and you lower it to glare at them. “No, seriously! I was grabbing some food from the store, and that innkeeper, Lopsy-”   
  
“Mopsy.” You correct.   
  
“Mopsy- she came up to me and started asking me why I wasn’t enrolled in the school yet.” Frisk tugs at your sweater sleeve. “Bones, I didn’t even know that Snowdin had a school! Apparently everyone was on break all this time!”   
  
“Hah.” You laugh.   
  
“She made me sign up for classes! Said that you might get into trouble if your child isn’t getting a proper education! Why did she call me  _ your child _ ?” Frisk demands.   
  
“Oh god, I can’t take much more than this.” You mutter, “Frisk, she has this idea in her head that I’m the parent in this relationship.”   
  
“That’s so weird.” Frisk breathes, “Bones, are you going to fight Mom for primary custody? Am I going to have to spend one week at her house, and then one at yours, or is this going to be an every weekend sort of thing?”   
  
“No, I am not getting into this ridiculous conversation.” You argue, but Frisk is on a roll.   
  
“I mean, I can sort of see why she got that impression.” They squint down at you, “Now that I’m looking at it, the resemblance is  _ uncanny. _ ” You push Frisk into the snow. As they hysterically laugh, you get up and stalk away.   
  
Stupid Frisk. Stupid nosy innkeepers. Stupid warm feeling in your SOUL.   
  
You end up at the small park just on the outskirts of town. The usual crowd isn’t here, you realize. Everyone’s kids always ended up here during the day, playing games and just hanging out. Now it’s empty, save for one slime who appears to be reading a book from the library. They don’t acknowledge your presence as you settle on an empty bench and pull out your phone.   
  
There’s an email from Alphys. Kind of strange, seeing as how she randomly texts you throughout the day. But when you open it, you see why.   
  
She sent you her story. In all honesty, you completely forgot she even started the silly thing. But here it is, in the body of her email, complete with a note that says “Please let me know what you think!” Well, you have nothing better to do right now, so you begin reading.   
  
You won’t lie to yourself- it is rather well written. But the more you read, the more… hurt? Indignant? Disgruntled? Whatever this feeling it is, it grows. Wow. Is this really what your behavior looks like to outsiders?   
  
The main character- modeled after you, there’s no hiding this, is a stand offish idiot that completely ignores all the help and support his friends offer, and goes off to rob the king. For a contest. And he ends up making a fool of himself, gets caught by the king, who finds the thief… cute?    
  
You start blushing when the story ends up looking like softcore erotica, so you exit out of the email and take a deep breath. You’ll have to lecture Alphys about sending this sort of thing to the monsters she is writing about. It’s going to be awkward, but you have a feeling it has to be done before she does it to Undyne or something.   
  
“You’re pouting.” Flowey pops up next to you, confusion written across his features, “Why?”   
  
“Alphys wrote a story about me.” You numbly reply, shoving the phone back into your pocket. The little flower has been popping up around you a lot more recently. You don’t even jump when he tries to sneak up on you anymore.   
  
“She writes a lot of things.” He dismissively says, “So what’s so bad about this one?”   
  
“She wrote me like I am some kind of idiot.” You bury your face into your hands, groaning. “It’s embarrassing!”   
  
“Seems more like she keeps people in character to me.” Flowey sneers.   
  
“Except not.” You argue, “My entire life has been about getting things I need to survive. I’ve robbed houses, restaurants, stores… and never once got caught! I get caught  _ once _ down here, and all of a sudden, I’m a bumbling idiot?!”   
  
“But she doesn’t know about that, now does she? All she knows of you- all everyone knows of you, is that you are a thief that got caught, and they like you for it. Makes yourself look a lot more humble and good natured than you really are, doesn’t it?” Flowey shrugs, “Oh, well!”   
  
“You know what? I’m going to get that damn crown.” You announce, standing.   
  
“What, the king’s crown? Is that what the story’s about? Yeah, have fun with that.”   
  
“And you’re going to help me.”   
  
“I’m what now?”   
  
You pace in front of Flowey, clasping your hands behind your back. “That’s right. I was only playing before. But, if I take this seriously enough, I should be able to get it, no problem!”   
  
“Is this a pride thing?” Flowey asks, “Because, normally, I’d understand that. As much as someone like me is able to, anyway. But this? I thought you were just stupid, not insane!”   
  
“You know where things are in the castle, right?” You ask.   
  
“I know everything there is to know about the underground, including the castle!” Flowey boasts.   
  
“Then you can help me.”   
  
“Hah! Why would I help you?” He derisively asks. The flower’s going to make you work for it, probably, but you can see the interest in his eyes.   
  
“Because…” You dramatically pause, “You want to help me.”   
  
“Oh, really?” Flowey challenges this.   
  
“Yes. Yes, really. If you didn’t, you’d be gone by now.” You meet his eyes, “So, are you going to spend the rest of the day arguing with me, or are we going to do this?”   
  
“Fiiiine.” He sulks, “Let’s get this over with, then.”    
  
“Great!” You know this is a bad idea, and if you only take a second to think about what you’re doing, you’d see you are  _ doing exactly what Alphys wrote in her story _ . But, well, self reflection was never your strongest trait even though hindsight’s your best friend. “So, we can take the boat to the castle?”   
  
“Psh. Heck no!” Flowey shakes his head, “I have a better way of getting around!” Vines creep out of the ground by your feet, and you yelp when they wrap around your ankles.   
  
“Flowey, what in the he-ELL!” You yelp as you’re pulled down.    
  
You are enveloped by the earth. You can feel dirt and rocks sifting through your bones, underneath your clothes. If you had your eye sockets open, you wouldn’t be able to see a damn thing, you’re certain, but you don’t want to risk getting dirt shoved into your skull through them. You force your jaw to clamp shut so that you wouldn’t be swallowing any either, but some gets in anyway.  _ Remember to stop breathing too, _ you have to remind yourself,  _ It’s okay, you don’t really need air anyway. _ It still burns your phantom lungs when you hold your breath.   
  
This feeling of suffocation, of being buried alive, of claustrophobia, it feels like forever but it’s over in a heartbeat.    
  
When you come to, you find yourself on your hands and knees, spitting dirt onto a golden tiled floor. Flowey is hovering somewhere over your shoulder, face flickering between annoyance and concern.   
  


“Jeez, it wasn’t that bad!” Flowey exclaims once you stop dry heaving.   
  
“That was the worse thing that ever happened to me.” You weakly sputter, taking in deep, heavy, breaths of air.   
  
“Don’t be such a baby.”    
  
Once you feel like you’re not about to turn to dust anymore, you’re finally able to take in your surroundings. The two of you are in a long, golden hallway. Large columns are lined down from end to end. The last thing you notice almost takes your breath away again.   
  
Large, stained glass windows. You’ve only ever seen them in churches, back when you couldn’t find shelter on cold nights and had to sneak in to not freeze to death. They’d usually depict scenes from religious texts. When you couldn’t sleep, you’d open one of the books supplied behind the pews and read. You’d make a game of identifying each scene with the corresponding story.   
  
These windows show no scenes. Just panels of glass, just as golden as the tiles underneath your knees. The delta rune is etched on each one, gleaming brightly enough to make staring for too long uncomfortable. One such window looms just above you, and you swear you can feel the sun’s warmth radiating down from it.   
  
But, that’s impossible, isn’t it?   
  
“Where are we?” You gape up at the windows.   
  
“The judgement hall.” Flowey explains, frowning, “Just before the entrance to the throne room. I would have just moved us there, but… nevermind. Can we move on, now? I hate this place.”   
  
“Yeah, okay.” You push yourself to your feet, stiffening when Flowey wraps another vine around your wrist. “Uhh…”   
  
“I’m just going to climb on you. It’s harder to move through tile than dirt.” Flowey snaps, barely masking the hurt at your flinch. You force yourself to relax, and he slithers up to your shoulders like the last time the two of you spent time together. “That way.” He grumps, and you start walking.   
  
The hall leads to a corridor that looks bleak and gray. It looks kind of like the ruins, you realize. Except, at least back there, it had color. This place absolutely reeks of loneliness and foreboding. Did anyone even clean up the place? You can see cracks in the concrete floor, and the brick walls seem close to crumbling. It’s a stark contrast between here and the lovely hall you were just in.   
  
“Why is it like this?” You whisper into the silence, and Flowey scoffs.   
  
“Asgore’s the only one that really stays here. Kinda crummy, for a castle, but it’s not like he’s gonna take more room from his people, right?” His voice is just as quiet as yours, and he jerks his head towards a door further down. “Throne room’s in there.”   
  
“What’s farther down?” You curiously ask.   
  
“The basement.” Flowey says, “Nothing important down there. Just history that’s been forgotten.”   
  
“Hmm…” Something tells you that he’s lying. Of course, you start heading there instead of the original destination.   
  
“Bones, don’t!” Flowey hisses in protest, but doesn’t do anything to stop you as you descend the stairs. Instead, he huddles against your skull, and when you glance to the side, he’s hiding his face into the neck of your sweater. He’s distressed. Why?   
  
Well, you find out soon enough. It’s dark down here. Cold, too. Not like the lively cold of Snowdin. This type of cold is the kind you feel when you’re at the doctor’s. It’s a  _ sterile _ cold. Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, you can’t see a thing. Without much thought, you flick your eye sockets on, and everything is much more purple, but bright enough to see seven small coffins all lined up in a row. You gasp.   
  
“The king remembered that humans like to bury their dead in those things.” Flowey is still not looking at anywhere but your neck. “Real nice of him, to respect their rituals, huh?”   
  
“These are…” You approach a coffin and lightly place a hand on it. The wood is cool to the touch.   
  
“He has all but one of their SOULs.” Flowey’s voice is shaking, “He keeps them somewhere else. I- I’m not really sure where. Was never able to find them on my own.”   
  
“Why would you want to find them?” You squeeze your eye sockets shut, “Am I not going to like your answer, Flowey?”   
  
“No, you’re not.” He shrugs off your question, “It’s a moot point anyway. What’s going to happen… it’s all been done before. Even if the script is all switched around.”   
  
You and Flowey jump when the sound of heavy steps going down the stairs reach your ears. He lets out a small gasp and ducks underneath your sweater, making you sputter when his petals brush against your sensitive ribs. A secure enough hiding place for him, but where the hell are you supposed to hide?!   
  
You shouldn’t be here. And not in a ‘oh this is an uncomfortable situation’ kind of way that hiding in Papyrus’ closet was. Oh, no. This is a more serious ‘holy shit the king just may smite me’ kind of way that only sneaking into the castle and finding seven coffins in his basement may entail.   
  
“Hello? Who is here?” The king’s voice is loud, but hesitant. Your magic dissipates, and the basement is covered in darkness once more. “I know you’re down here. Please come out.” The sound of footsteps stop, and you’re about to try and hide behind a coffin, but then King Asgore flicks a light switch and the room is bathed in bright fluorescent lights.    
  
If he is surprised to see you there, the king doesn’t show it. He is wearing the same royal garb as the last time you saw him. Despite your unexpected arrival, he manages a small smile. “Ah. You are Bones, correct?” You stiffly nod. “Golly, this sure is a surprise, but I have been meaning to have a word with you. Perhaps not here, though. Please, come upstairs with me.” He turns and goes back up the stairs.   
  
“Bones.” Flowey whispers from somewhere in your ribcage, “Don’t follow him. Just give me a minute, and I can get us out of here.”   
  
“No.” You reply, gulping, “If he wants to speak to me, he’ll be tracking me down later anyway. Might as well get this over with now.”   
  
When you catch up to the king, he is waiting by the entrance to the throne room. With a sweep of his arm, he gestures for you to come inside, and you do so.    
  
You don’t know what you were expecting, but this wasn’t it. In the middle of the room are two thrones. One, well used. The cushions have an indent in them. the arms scratched up. The one next to it is covered in a white sheet. And surrounding them is an abundant field of buttercups. And just beyond all of this, is a door. You start to approach it.   
  
“Do not.” Asgore gravely says, resting a heavy paw on your shoulder. Looking up at him in confusion, he amends, “Beyond here lies the magical barrier that keeps us trapped. It is… very intense to those that are not used to it.”   
  
“Oh.” You mumble, flushing when the royal monster meets your eye sockets. All of a sudden, you feel like you’re a teenager again. What a time for you to develop a crush, huh? If Alphys were here, she’d be teasing the hell out of you right now.   
  
“Let us sit.” For a second, you think he means for the two of you to sit on the thrones. You’re caught off guard, however, when he elects to sit amongst the buttercups instead. With some hesitation, you join him. “I would offer tea, but I am afraid that neither of us would actually drink it. That would be a waste.” He sighs.   
  
“I’m sorry!” You burst out, “I wasn’t supposed to be down there, but I was, and I didn’t mean to pry, really, but-”   
  
“I am not angry that you were down there.” King Asgore stops your babbling. He closes his eyes, thinking for a moment, before opening them again. “It has always been a policy of mine, to allow for any of my subjects to visit me for any reason. I am only… displeased that I wasn’t here to greet you. So that I can spare you from that sight.”   
  
“Those are the humans that…” You start, and Asgore nods.   
  
“The human children that fell down.” He confirms, “The ones whose SOULs I have collected over the centuries. Well, all but one.”   
  
“All but one.” You repeat. Those are the same words Flowey uttered to you just minutes ago. “What happened to that one?”   
  
“It is an old story. I thought all my subjects knew of the fate my children suffered.” His smile grows sadder. You don’t want to hear this, but you have no choice but to sit here and listen, enthralled. Flowey’s vines curl tight around your spine. Not in a threatening manner, you know that somehow. It’s more of a reminder that he’s still here with you.   
  
“ _ My second child. _ They were a human, the first to fall underground. My son brought them home, and my wife and I took to raising them as if they were our own. They were the symbol of our hopes and dreams, back then- that humans and monsters would one day learn to get along once more. I suppose that put too much pressure on the young one.”   
  
“What do you mean?”    
  
“The weight of the world was on their shoulders, and I was too blind to realize.” He wipes at his eyes, “Centuries have passed, and I’m still not over it. They got sick, you see, and died. And my son, Asriel… took their SOUL and went through the barrier. They were attacked by humans, but managed to return home before they Fell Down.”   
  
“I’m sorry, “ You quickly say, “You don’t have to tell it again-”   
  
“It’s cathartic, in a way.” Asgore says, “While everyone knows this story, not many are brave enough to speak it out loud. I became an angry old man after I lost my children, you see. I declared war on all of mankind. My wife left me to my rage and grief, and when I came back to my senses I found myself alone.” He bitterly smiles.   
  
“Asgore…”    
  
“I did not mean what I said, but my people… my people took to them wholeheartedly.” He laughs, a bitter, desperate sound. “Who am I to disappoint them? So, whenever a human fell down, I would have them brought before me.”   
  
“And you… killed them?” You cautiously ask.   
  
“A reluctant murderer is still a murderer.” There are tears in his eyes, “I can try to justify it all I want, but the result is still the same, yes? Each child brought before me- they all had their own stories to tell, their own reasons to come down here and confront me. One had a SOUL as dark as I’ve ever seen- they killed many, and not all were monsters, before I cut them down. Another, with a rare disease that would kill them in a manner of months if left untreated, but their family couldn’t afford the medicine anymore, and the child didn’t want to burden them any longer. And yet another, who came to me just to offer their SOUL freely. In my own way, I loved them all. How could I not?”   
  
_ Aww he looks sad. Quick, offer your body to comfort him! _   
  
“Do you… uh… need a hug?”   
  
_ That’s not what you meant to say. _   
  
_ You feel your sins crawling down your back. _   
  
Wait, nevermind. It’s just Flowey jabbing you in the spine.   
  
Asgore’s laugh is much lighter this time, to your relief. “Ah, no, but thank you.”    
  
“This whole thing…” You cough, “Sounds rough.”   
  
“It is absolutely heartbreaking.” Asgore agrees, “But it is a burden I alone must carry, if it means for my people to be free in the end. Which brings me to the real reason I wish to speak with you.”   
  
A chill goes up your spine as you take in the expression on his face, “Why do I think I won’t like what you’re about to say?”   
  
“Despite my captain of the guard’s best attempts,” Asgore looks amused, “I am well aware that there is a human child among us right now.”   
  
Shit shit shit. You look back towards the door, wondering if you can run fast enough to escape the king. Flowey can drag you back to Snowdin, and maybe if you warn Frisk in time… You yelp when a large, gentle hand turns your skull back to face Asgore. An equally gentle finger traces the crack over your eye socket, and you feel like you’re about to spontaneously combust.   
  
“Would you stop that?” Asgore chides you, “What I’m about to say is not what you think.”   
  
“W-what?”   
  
“I will not demand them to be brought before me. I will not attempt to track them down. I will not punish those who have loved and befriended this human. Who am I, to judge such a thing? But I will tell you this- do not allow them to come to the Capital, or to the castle.” His face darkens, “Only then will I have no choice. They are the final SOUL my people need to be free. I can only play ignorant to a certain extent. Do you understand me, Bones?”   
  
“Yes.” You whisper, and Asgore sighs in relief.   
  
“I trust you know the way back?” He asks, “I wish to be alone here, for a little while.”   
  
It should be so easy. So easy to… just get up and walk away. Leave the king alone as he wishes. But, well, you always were a slave to your impulses, aren’t you?   
  
You lean forward and wrap your arms around his neck. You can feel his surprise, before he lets out another breathy chuckle that has your SOUL fluttering, and then he hugs you back. And damn, you never really  _ saw _ , until now, how big this guy is compared to your smaller frame. He makes Papyrus look like a child.   
  
It was supposed to be a brief hug. One for comfort, or solidarity. Whatever Asgore needs. But he holds on a few seconds longer than you think is appropriate, even if you’re reluctant for him to let you go. You’re blushing hard when he finally releases his grip on you, but he pretends not to notice.   
  
“Thank you.” He says, and you nod before shakily getting up and scrambling to get out of the throne room as quickly as possible.   
  
You only stop when you’re back on the hall, and you’re leaning on your knees, covering your face in your hands and making embarrassing sounds. Flowey, sensing that the two of you are alone again, slithers out from underneath your clothes and pops up in front of you, seething.   
  
“You IDIOT!” He shouts.   
  
“I know!” You shout back.   
  
“What if he found me hidden on you?!”   
  
“I wasn’t thinking!” You wail.   
  
“WHY are you BLUSHING?!” Flowey looks horrified now, “EW! EW! EW! He’s like, over a THOUSAND YEARS OLD!”   
  
“You are not helping!” When you get back home, you’re curling up underneath the sheets in your room and never. Coming. Back. Out.   
  
“I don’t want to help!” Flowey sputters, “Oh my god, you are not allowed to have a crush on my-!” He yelps and ducks. A bone embeds itself into the wall behind him.    
  
“What in the-?!” You turn, and shit. There’s Sans. Another bone in his hand, and he looks madder than you ever thought possible for the lazy skeleton.   
  
“you.” He growls, “bones, get away from that weed.”   
  
“Okay, I think everybody needs to calm down, and we can talk-” You start, and Sans throws another bone. Your magic surges and suddenly there’s a purple shield between you and him. The bone shatters on impact.   
  
“Good luck with that!” Flowey shouts, and he’s gone before you can get another word out.   
  
“bones, put that shield down now.” Sans commands. He still looks incredibly angry, but also concerned. You back away, putting more distance between the two of you. Shit, you’re trembling, but the shield is still holding strong. “c’mon, buddy. you know i’m not gonna hurt you, right?”   
  
He’s right. You know he’s right. He’s been nothing but kind, if a lot nosy, with you. Even in the beginning, when you were only known as that skeleton who broke into his house. Okay, time to get rid of that shield of yours, and everything will be fine, right? You narrow your eyes, and attempt to get rid of it. Nothing happens.   
  
“bones?” Sans asks when you only start trembling harder.   
  
“How do I get rid of it?” You ask, and he blinks in surprise before biting back a laugh.   
  
“try calming down first, ‘kay?” He suggests, “relax. breathe in and out. just concentrate on me, on what i’m saying.”   
  
Slowly, but surely, Sans coaxes you into lowering the shield. By the end of it, you’re a wreck. Emotionally, physically, all of the -ally’s. He must sense it too, because as soon as he’s able, he’s there to catch you when you fall again, and you bury your face into the collar of his jacket.   
  
“did he hurt you?” Sans asks, running his hands up and down your vertebrae.    
  
“No. Flowey’s never harmed me.” You mutter, “Why would he?”   
  
“he, uh, has a bit of a history.” Sans replies, huffing in surprise when you find the strength to squeeze your arms around him. “what did we say about those shields of yours?” He lectures.   
  
“I don’t know how it happened, I swear.”    
  
“i believe you.” He’s projecting some of his magic again. You can feel waves of affection, reassurance, and calmness overtaking your SOUL. It’s like the comfort Papyrus gives you that allows you to sleep through the night.    
  
_ It’s not fair _ . You fight back tears.  _ They keep giving and giving, and I’m just lying to them. _   
  
_ It’s time to give back. _   
  
“Sans…” You sniffle, “I… I know you and the others wonder how you can’t find… records of me. Existing.”   
  
“because of your uncle.” Sans replies matter of factly.    
  
“You know that’s not the real reason.” You say, “I can tell. You’ve been… holding yourself back, and I’m… I’m grateful for that.”   
  
“shh..” He nuzzles the top of your skull.   
  
“You won’t ever find where I came from down here.” You continue, “Because I fell into the ruins.”

 


	25. Role Reversal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I was in a mood when I wrote this. Don't know what anybody'd be expecting when it comes down to Sans' reaction to where our skeleton reader came from. I certainly didn't until I started writing it.

You know it was the right thing, to finally tell the other skeleton where you really came from. That you have been lying to him all this time. That, like what you always do to others, you’ve been  _ using _ him and his brother. But you regret that everything has to end so soon. You were finally beginning to fail safe again.  _ At least _ , you bitterly think,  _ Alphys gave you that phone, and everything that you own is in it.  _ It’ll make things easier when you have to leave the brothers’ house.   
  
Sans still hasn’t said anything yet. He’s still holding you up, keeping you steady, but his hands haven’t moved from their position on your spine. He’s frozen, like a statue. Probably still processing your words. What you said, it isn’t hard to understand what you meant. He’s smart, he has to know what it means. But why isn’t he pushing you away? Will you have to be the one to end this? But when you attempt to squirm out of his embrace, his grip tightens and he pulls you closer to him. You don’t understand.   
  
“breathe.” He gruffly orders, and you shakily inhale. “shit. i don’t want to have this conversation here. keep your eye sockets closed, don’t let go of me, alright? we’re going home.”   
  
You don’t have it in you to question exactly how Sans is planning to get the two of you back to Snowdin. Instead you squeeze your eye sockets shut, clutch harder to his jacket, and wait.    
  
Nothing happens. At least, you don’t feel anything happening. One moment you’re in that hallway, and the next, you feel familiar cushions underneath your body and the familiar scent of the fabric softener Papyrus uses to keep the house smelling fresh. When you lift your head, you’re greeted by the familiar sight of the living room.    
  
“You can teleport.” You observe.   
  
“You’re from the surface.” Sans counters, and there’s something like wonder in his voice. Again, you try to put distance between the two of you. You can’t talk to him like this, with him holding you like you’re something precious, like he doesn’t want you to go away. Because there’s no way he doesn’t. But, again, he doesn’t let you get far before pulling you back in.    
  
This starts a weird mock-struggle between the two of you. Him, with a determined glint in his eye sockets, pinning you against the couch. And you, scrambling for purchase before managing to flip the two of you around so that you have him pinned instead. He digs his digits against your ribs through your sweater in retaliation, and you squeak as he begins tickling you. He grunts when you collapse on top of him, laughing until he stops his assault in order to rub the back of your neck. And, well, that’s just not fair.   
  
Sans lets out a sigh of relief when you completely relax against him. “heh. so you do have an off switch.” He teases.   
  
“Hmmph.”   
  
“so can we have a real talk without you freaking out on me?”   
  
“No promises.”   
  
“fair enough.” He pauses to mull over his words. “how many monsters are up there?”   
  
“A fair amount.” You answer, “Still considerably less than humans. Think the last time I read up on that, one in ten of our population is a Monster.”   
  
“and humans don’t go around attacking them?”   
  
“Humans are a strange bunch. There are… groups that hate Monsters. Of course there are.” You sigh in dismay when he stops stroking your neck. He hesitates before continuing. “But there are groups of humans that target other humans just for their beliefs, or skin color, or other stupid reasons. But those groups are working  _ against _ the law, and highly frowned upon by most people.”   
  
“so, whenever we manage to make it up there…” Sans wonders.   
  
“It won’t be a problem. Everyone knows monsters exist.” You shrug, “Immigration will probably have a field day, though. Technically, you guys are american citizens, so who knows what kind of paperwork they’re going to need.”   
  
“so, if humans didn’t forget that monsters exist, and monsters are living side by side with them… how did they forget about the barrier keeping us down here?” The big question, right there. But you had a lot of time to mull over how you would answer.   
  
“This mountain became a legend.” You say, “A scary story to keep kids from exploring a dangerous place and getting lost. The war was so long ago, Sans. And, well, the monsters that weren’t captured ran before they could see what the humans were going to do to the others. It’s thought that the humans executed the king and queen. Hell, it’s debated whether or not humans ever had magic in the first place, and whether or not they’d even be capable of willfully using it.”   
  
“the barrier’s a pretty intense piece of magic. you can feel it when you’re close enough.” Sans points out, “and no monsters up there ever sensed it?”   
  
“Monsters don’t go up the mountain. It’s a place where very bad things happened to our race, you know? I don’t see it much down here, but up there- we have a lot of strange little traditions and taboos like that. I only got down here because of Frisk.”   
  
“why did frisk bring you anyway?”    
  
“Well, like I said, there are groups of humans that target monsters. One such group... managed to track me down to where I was staying. Frisk stopped them before they could dust me.” You shudder at the memories, “Poor kid probably had to reset a bunch of times before they could save me.”   
  
“and you know about resets.” Sans seems to sink into the couch, relief radiating from his prone form. You never realized how tense the smaller skeleton was until you feel it disappearing from his bones. The truth did that, you see that now.    
  
“I do.” You whisper.   
  
“your uncle isn’t the reason you can’t sleep by yourself.” Sans concludes, “you’re getting nightmares about dying, right?”   
  
“Yeah.”   
  
“that sucks.”   
  
“Yeah.”   
  
“i get ‘em too sometimes. pretty sure everyone does, but they chalk it up to being weird dreams. no one can mess with time the way the kid has without there being some consequences.” Sans sounds bitter.   
  
“...Are you mad at us? For not telling you?” You hate the way your voice gets small.   
  
“listen to me with your SOUL. does it feel like i’m angry?” And he isn’t. You know he isn’t, the way he’s projecting reassurance at you.    
  
“You should be.” You grit your teeth and tuck your skull underneath his jaw in the same manner Frisk does to you whenever they demand your affections. You can see why they enjoy doing it- makes you feel like you’re hiding from the world.   
  
“nah.” His easy refute makes you laugh. “it’s a house rule- can’t get mad when someone tells the truth. we gotta talk it out, plan a way to smooth things over. me ‘n paps, we’re the way we are because that’s the deal. the only thing i’ve ever lied to him about are the resets, and that’s because he won’t remember if frisk screws things up again.”   
  
“What about when everything’s done, and you don’t have to worry about that anymore?” You ask.   
  
“then i’ll tell him.” Sans sighs, “but i’m not holding my breath.”   
  
“...What about the fact that I come from the surface?” You don’t know how that would go.   
  
“house rules.” Sans reminds you, “if you truly believe that this is the last run, and the kid’s gonna save us all for the last time, then tell him. stars know we  _ both _ have a ton of questions for you.” He pauses. “a skele-ton.” You roll your eye sockets and make a grumbling noise. Message received- Sans is done with the serious talk. But you know the rest of your time down here is going to be full of questions about the surface. Especially if you see fit to tell the younger brother.   
  
“...Let me think about it.” You slowly say. You want to place your trust in Frisk, but there’s still some uncertainty. Maybe when the two of you get a good lead on how to rescue this royal scientist of theirs.   
  
“no rush.” Sans sounds odd when he says this. You try pulling back to take a look at him, see if he’s really okay with this, but he fiercely grasps your shoulders and takes a shuddering breath, and you don’t know what to do. “so we were just… forgotten about.” He’s upset. Not in an angry way- he’s  _ hurt _ . And it’s a punch in the gut when you hear him hold back a  _ sob. _ “they never bothered to see if we were  _ down here. _ ”   
  
“Shit, Sans, please don’t.” You beg. Apparently, even if Sans is done with this topic, his feelings on the matter are quite strong. And, sure, you’ve been getting better at this emotional, familial stuff that the brothers are so fond of, but you’re still pretty new at it. How the hell do you comfort? You’re already hugging him! Shit, what else does Papyrus do when you’re having nightmares?   
  
Sans clings to you even when you push yourself up. He’s shorter than you by like, a few inches, but that’s enough for him to slide down to where he’s hanging by your neck. You wind an arm around the small of his spine, and push yourself backwards so that your own spine rests against the opposite arm of the couch. He ends up curling against your side, his skull now resting underneath your chin. You try not to panic at this role reversal.   
  
You know how empathic projection kind of disturbs you? While elementals are particularly strong when it comes to it, all monsters have the ability to some extent. If you’re close enough to another, whether it’s a family member or close friend, you’ll be able to read their SOUL. It’s something that you are taught when you’re a kid, and usually by your parents. But they died when you were young, too young to really feel that sort of bond. And Impact…   
  
Impact wasn’t ever emotionally available. And, well, after he was gone, your foster homes mainly consisted of humans. And say what you will about them, there are tons more willing to foster children than there are monsters, even if they aren’t very good at SOUL related things. As a result… you’re not very good at SOUL related things either. It’s never been a problem until now.   
  
Sans is pretty good at hiding his true emotions himself- whether it’s behind bad jokes or anger. And, like Papyrus, he’s pretty good at sending comfort at you through his SOUL. But you never realized that the exact opposite can happen. His distress is being communicated very clearly, and you feel helpless against it. Is this what they deal with whenever you’re in one of your moods?   
  
“don’t.” Sans is trembling, “i’ll be okay. you don’t have to-”   
  
He’s still trying to make you feel better about this whole mess. Not for the first time, you wonder what the hell is wrong with the monsters down here, sacrificing themselves for each other. Or maybe, it’s not  _ them _ that’s messed up. It’s just you. “Shh.” You tell Sans, hesitantly stroking the back of his skull, “Not going anywhere.” The relief you feel from him his palpable. It makes you feel so guilty that he thought for even a moment that you’d leave him like this.    
  
You close your eye sockets, rocking slightly back and forth, and start humming- it’s a song from that ridiculous anime Alphys is so fond of, but it’s all you can think of right now. You still have no idea what you’re doing, but after a few tense minutes Sans slumps against you, breaths slow and deep.   
  
“Sans?” You gently jostle him. No response. You sigh in relief when you realize he’s fallen asleep. Maybe you aren’t as bad at this comforting thing as you thought? He’s a comfortable weight against you, and the distress he was in a few seconds ago seems to have lessened. That’s good, right?    
  
This entire day is a bust. And it all started so innocently too. Sighing, you slide a little bit down so that the back of your skull rests against the arm of the couch now. Sans shifts, and for a split second you can see the exhausted expression on his face before he settles back against your shoulder.   
  
The two of you stay this way for a while. Sans, snoring softly against your neck. You, staring up at the ceiling, eye sockets half lidded. The artificial daylight you can see through the windows slowly fades into night, and so the house also becomes shrouded in darkness.    
  
You’re not sure how long you stay like this, in the dark, but you’re still awake when Papyrus and Frisk return.   
  
“Who knew dog treats actually taste good?” Frisk says, crunching down on what you hope isn’t actually a dog treat.   
  
“LESSER DOG MADE IT HIMSELF.” Papyrus says, and one of them flips the lights on. You squint over at them.   
  
“You guys have fun?” You ask, eyes slanting to the side when the two of them take in the scene with worry on their faces.   
  
“WHAT HAPPENED?” Papyrus urgently asks, “DID SOMEONE GET HURT? IS SANS OKAY?” In a few strides he’s by the two of you, leaning over to gently place a hand on Sans’ cheek.    
  
“We…” You hesitate, “Had a bad day.”   
  
Papyrus eyes shift from Sans to you, frowning when he takes in your haggard appearance. “I CAN SEE THAT. WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND, HOWEVER, IS WHY I WASN’T CALLED?”   
  
“don’t blame him, bro.” Sans mutters, surprising you, “didn’t want you getting all worried. it’s nothing. how was the puppy shower?”   
  
“They missed you guys.” Frisk says, voice small and subdued, “They saved you some cake.”   
  
“that’s cool.” Sans mumbles before yawning, “i’ll thank ‘em later.”   
  
“IT SEEMS THE TWO OF YOU ARE IN NO SHAPE TO WATCH A MOVIE TONIGHT.” Papyrus observes. You can tell he is a little disappointed, even if he understands. “PERHAPS WE SHOULD RETIRE EARLY.”   
  
“nah, we can hang out here for a while.” Sans protests, but doesn’t move an inch when you attempt to make room for the others on the couch. Papyrus bites back a laugh when you surrender, settling back down. “hey, bones. what’s your favorite comfort movie?”   
  
“Uhhh, you probably don’t want to know that.” You nervously laugh.   
  
“aw, c’mon. can’t be that bad.”   
  
“INDEED. WE ALWAYS WATCH CLASSICS FROM MY CHILDHOOD. IT IS YOUR TURN TO CHOOSE.” Papyrus encourages you. You look over at Frisk and make a face.   
  
“This I have to know.” They only grin.   
  
“Okay, fine.” You sigh, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you- when I was a babybones, and upset at something, I would watch  _ The Evil Dead. _ ” Silence ensues. “And not the sequel. I’m talking the original, serious script, with Bruce Campbell not knowing how to act.”   
  
“what kind of shit childhood did you have?” Sans incredulously asks. Poor skeleton probably doesn’t know he just barely scratched the surface when it came to you.   
  
“WE ARE GOING TO WATCH  _ THE FOX AND THE HOUND _ .” Papyrus declares, “WE WILL THEN PROCEED TO HAVE A HEALTHY CRY OVER TRUE FRIENDSHIP AND HEARTBREAK. THEN WE WILL REHYDRATE AND GO TO SLEEP. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OBJECTIONS?” When no one speaks, he gives out a victorious “NYEH!” and stomps up the stairs to sort through his video collection.   
  
You end up falling asleep just before the fox and the hound meet. 


	26. The Day After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones and Sans talk some more. Also, he and Frisk turn out to be more alike than you'd think.

You wake up the next morning to your phone beeping next to your face and an oversized blue jacket draped over your body like a blanket. It takes a few slaps of your hand before the phone falls silent, and grumbling, you push yourself up into a sitting position. You’re still in the living room, you realize. Papyrus must’ve not wanted to disturb your rest last night by moving you upstairs. Unlike Sans, you are easily roused when someone unexpectedly picks you up.  
  
Papyrus had to tell you to shut up once because you wouldn’t stop apologizing after the last time you accidently socked him in the face. He wakes you up before carrying you anywhere nowadays.   
  
The smell of coffee drifts from the kitchen. You and Sans are the only ones that drink the stuff. He must’ve made it a little while ago.   
  
Sans. You certainly weren’t expecting the reaction he had yesterday. Anger, sure. Denial? A very good possibility. But acceptance, then a breakdown? It makes your SOUL shudder, remembering the anguished sounds he made.   
  
“you’re awake.” A mug is gently pushed into your hands. You look up to see the shorter skeleton, sans jacket, in front of you. He has an uneasy grin on his face, but other than that, he looks pretty normal. But that doesn’t mean anything, does it? Considering how he acted like everything was normal the entire time you and Frisk lied to him about you...   
  
“Good… morning?” You ask, tentatively patting the seat cushion next to you. Sans hesitates, but takes the offered seat.   
  
“it’s noon.” He shrugs, “frisk and paps went to get school supplies. kiddo’s got classes tomorrow.” Hah, he looks positively gleeful at the idea.   
  
“You can thank Mopsy for that.” You take a sip. “I wouldn’t have even thought to sign them up for school… This isn’t that gunk you call medicine.”   
  
“it is.” Sans disagrees, “just a way smaller dose. and mixed with coffee.”   
  
“Well, it’s a lot better than that tomato paste ranch flavor.” You allow.   
  
“papyrus is the cook of the family.” He shrugs. You can’t argue with that- though as of right now, you’re kind of giving credit to Grillby for that one. He’s been a lifesaver, showing Papyrus how to actually cook instead of following Undyne’s attempts at chemical warfare.   
  
“making them go to school, it makes frisk look a lot more like a kid, instead of…” He continues, a thoughtful expression on his face.   
  
“A possibly homicidal maniac?” You supply, smirking when Sans jerks back in surprise.   
  
“you know that, and you still trust ‘em.”   
  
“Don’t you?”   
  
“unbelievable.” He grumbles, but doesn’t deny it.   
  
“So, um…” You fidget. “Are you okay?”   
  
Sans looks up at the ceiling, a reluctant expression on his face, “and here i was thinking we can avoid the awkward morning after.”   
  
“Sans!”   
  
“it was a shock.” He sighs, a soft, weary sound. “a big one. i felt like a child whose parents thought i was dead, i guess, and didn’t bother trying to find out for sure. i, uh, needed to get that all out yesterday, in order to process everything better today. so, thanks, for taking care of me during all that.”   
  
“You kidding me? I was a useless wreck.” You laugh, a slightly hysterical sound, and Sans lightly jabs your side with an elbow.   
  
“you learned from my bro, so you knew exactly what to do.” Sans dismisses your self criticism.   
  
You cross your arms and lean back into the couch. “So, you’re done… processing?”   
  
“not even close. but i sort of understand the other point of view.” He closes his eyes, “crap, i have sentry duty today.”   
  
“Skip it.” You shrug.   
  
“normally i would, but i promised paps i would at least show up while he’s off.” He yawns, “and i need the nap, too.”   
  
Your phone buzzes again. Sans picks it up, and you watch as he reads. “Who is it? They tried contacting me a little while ago too.”   
  
“alphys. she wants to hang out with you today.” The other skeleton doesn’t look pleased at this, but he isn’t displeased either. Sort of a slightly off put neutral, you think. “says she hasn’t really hung out with you lately without it being a doctor’s visit.”   
  
“Ah, that sounds nice.” You comment. Now that you think about it, you do sort of miss the yellow monster’s company. “I can tease her about sending me erotica.”   
  
“what.”   
  
“Yeah. haha.” You shake your head, smiling. “She finally finished that story, got all excited about it, and sent it to me. It… was also kind of the reason I went to the castle in the first place.”   
  
“...right. that was one of my questions.” Sans mutters, reaching over you to retrieve his jacket.   
  
“Questions?”   
  
“i am making a list of questions. so that i can…” You snort in disbelief when he pulls out a clipboard from who knows where, scanning down a sheet of paper before finding a line and scribbling on it.   
  
“So you can add them to your notes.” You figure out. It sort of makes sense, considering the circumstances. He looks up at you, startled. “The ones in your lab, right? So that you won’t forget if Frisk resets. Which they won’t, by the way.” The way you say it, it’s more to convince yourself than Sans. You don’t want to have to do all of this over again. You gained too much, being down here.   
  
“you know way too much.” He grumbles.   
  
“Yeah, well, it makes everything way easier, doesn’t it?” You ask, “We’re sort of on the same page now. We can depend on each other.” And you don’t have the words to describe how freeing it feels, to be able to talk to someone other than Frisk about this stuff.   
  
You try to ignore the surge of happiness that results when Sans’ smile turns entirely genuine and he says, “yeah, we can.”   
  
“On a lighter note.” You blush and laugh, “The way she wrote the story, Alphys kind of insulted my dignity. So I got the idea in my head, to, well, actually steal Asgore’s crown.”   
  
“oh my god.”   
  
“It didn’t really work out that way.”   
  
“this is why.” Sans realizes, “this is why you and frisk get along so well. you both absolutely love scaring the hell out of me.”   
  
“To be fair, I’ve been working on that.” You point out, yelping in surprise when Sans pokes you right between the eye sockets, his smile stern.   
  
“stop doing stupid shit.” He orders, “you have people that care about you now. act like it.”   
  
“I know.” You fidget, deciding that it’ll be a long while before you tell him about the conversation you had with Asgore. That’ll be on a need to know basis.   
  
“whelp, i’m heading out.” He announces, finishing his notes with a self satisfied look on his face. “have fun at alphys’.”   
  
After a second cup of coffee, you are finally up to meeting with Alphys at her lab. You grab your phone from the couch, stuff it in your pocket, and fling open the door, only to duck as Undyne tries to pound your face in. “What in the-?!”   
  
“Hey, punk!” Undyne gives you a toothy grin, lowering her arm. She’s wearing her armor, the polished metal gleaming brightly into your eye sockets. She must have been on patrol. “Is Punk Jr. around?!”   
  
“Punk Jr.?” You glare up at her, a hand on your sternum, “Undyne, if I had a heart, it would be having an attack right now!”   
  
“You’re such a baby.” Undyne makes a face at you, “I mean Frisk. Are they around?”   
  
“They’re out. Might be back in a little while I think?” Finally calm, you lean against the doorframe, “What did you need?”   
  
“Hmph.” Undyne crosses her arms, “Well, I don’t know if I should trust you with this. It’s kinda… important.” She looks uncomfortable.   
  
“So you’ll trust the human child over the adult monster?” You ask, watching as her face turns red.   
  
“Frisk has been… coaching me through this, and I wanted them to help me finish it off, alright?!” She roars.   
  
“Okay.” You shrug and gesture to the house inside, “Feel free to wait for them, then. I have plans.”   
  
“Plans, huh?” Her eye narrows, “What sort of plans are we talking about here?”   
  
“I’m going to Alphys’.” You start to walk, but she grabs your arm as you pass her.   
  
“It’s… it’s not on a date, IS IT?!” She demands to know, “I know that you two DORKS are close and all, but one of you would TELL ME if that were to happen, right?!”   
  
She looks upset. You recall Frisk telling you that Undyne has a serious interest in the royal scientist, but you never saw it until now. Despite knowing not to poke the fish monster, you can’t help but tease, just a little. “Well… We’re just going to hang out today, but who knows what might happen when two, platonic, friends spend a lot of time together…”   
  
“AGH! She won’t mind if I come with, RIGHT?!” Undyne looks like she’s about to burst.   
  
“I mean, I’m sure she won’t, but don’t you need to wait for, uh, Punk Jr.?” You innocently ask.   
  
“Get off your high horse.” She growls and starts stomping away, to, you assume, the river person’s stop. Chuckling, you trail after her.   
  
The ride to Hotland is tense and silent. Undyne keeps shooting you dirty looks. You keep grinning back at her, At one point she actually growls. After that you start whistling along with the river person, who is politely ignoring the two of you like always.   
  
By the time the two of you are off the boat and walking to the lab, you’ve had enough of Undyne’s attitude. “Undyne.” You roll your eyes when she glares back at you. “Would you stop pouting? It’s getting ridiculous.”   
  
“This is probably a bad idea anyway.” She defensively crosses her arms, “I wasn’t ready for this anyway.”   
  
“Seriously?” You say as she heads in the opposite direction of the lab. “No way, stop right there.” With a flick of your wrist you have a shield springing up right in front of her. Well, more of  a wall, but it stops her just as it’s supposed to do. You grin, immensely proud of yourself for the strong bit of magic.   
  
“Bones!” Undyne complains, slamming a fist against the transparent, slightly purple, block. “Okay, that IS impressive.” She blinks when the thing doesn’t even budge.   
  
“I know right? Don’t tell Sans, he might try to ground me or something.” You stand by her side, surveying your magic. “Normally, it would shatter like glass, or go down after a few seconds.”   
  
“He really screwed you up.” She comments, her annoyance at your actions fading fast. “Your uncle, I mean.”   
  
“I try not to think about it.” You admit, shrugging.   
  
“...” She slowly inhales, then exhales, shoulders slumping in a way you haven’t seen her ever do, “I wrote Alphy a letter. A good one, this time. Frisk promised they’d deliver it whenever I was finished, so that I won’t change my mind like all the others.”   
  
“Thought you weren’t a weenie.”   
  
“I’m not!” She protests, “It’s- different, right?! When it’s about ALPHYS, I’m always different!”   
  
“Emotions are tough.” You comment, flinching back when Undyne punches your wall again, “Do you want me to give her the letter?”   
  
“You serious?” She looks surprised by your offer.   
  
“Yeah.” You shove your hands into your pockets, grinning lopsidedly at her, “I was only teasing you before, but I do want the both of you to be happy.”   
  
“Ugh, you’re so mushy!” Undyne complains, but smiles back. “Just- DON’T read it, okay?! Or I’ll have to kill you!”   
  
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” You promise, and she fumbles with an envelope before pushing it at you, flushing either from the heat or embarrassment. You’re not sure.   
  
“Alright.” She breathes, “I’ll be… somewhere else then.” She almost slams her entire body against the wall before you can think to dissipate it. You have to recall Sans’ words from yesterday to do it, the tone he used that calmed you down enough to concentrate on wiping your magic away, but you get it done. Chuckling away her nerves, she gives you a thumbs up and runs away.   
  
Well, that just happened.   
  
Hey. you didn’t black out from the excessive use of magic yet. You’re so proud.   
  
A few minutes later, you end up bumping into Alphys as she exits her lab. She looks distracted, then surprised, to see you, “Bones! I- you got my texts? You… you didn’t a-answer them!”   
  
“Sorry.” You apologize, “Thought it’d be okay just to show up.”   
  
“O-oh! Of course!” She smiles, “Want to go the the d-dump with me? I am hoping I’ll get lucky, and find s-some new anime to watch!”   
  
“Uh, yeah. Sure.” You and her walk side by side, arms brushing every so often.   
  
“So, uh, I’ve been wondering…” You start as the two of you enter Waterfall. Alphys makes a curious noise, so you continue. “Sans and Papyrus know Undyne because they work for her. But how did you and Undyne meet?”   
  
“It’s… a long story.” Alphys gulps, looking nervous all of a sudden. “One… One night I was at the dump. A-at the time, I- well, the p-pressure of b-being the r-royal scientist and a-all, it was getting to me.”   
  
“Getting to you?” You gently prod when she stops speaking.   
  
“I f-felt… really alone.” She quietly explains, “So, I was sitting by, by o-one of the l-large waterfalls. J-just staring d-down and w-wondering where it all w-went. Undyne… she saw me there. T-talked to me. W-walked me back to the l-lab.” She dreamily sighs. “A-and since then… well, w-we’ve kept in touch!”   
  
“Hmm.” You hum thoughtfully. “Undyne’s a good friend, isn’t she?”   
  
“T-the best!” Alphys squeals, “She’s so cool and brave and- and- e-everything I wish I could be.”   
  
“You’re brave.” You argue. Alphys snorts and laughs, perking up when you finally reach your destination. She picks a seemingly random pile of garbage and starts sorting through it. “I’m serious. You saved me, remember? I believe the words were ‘practically glued my skull back together’. That had to take a lot of nerve!”   
  
“I… I was b-being literal! I-it took an entire tube of krazy glue!” She looks upset. Great, time to change the topic before things get weird.   
  
“Yeah, well, speaking of Undyne…” You take a step back when Alphys narrows her eyes at you. “Hey, what’s that look for?”   
  
“What about her?”   
  
“I mean, maybe I shouldn’t tell you.” You slant your eyes to the side, “It can wait.”   
  
“N-no! T-tell me now!” She demands, much to your delight.   
  
“Answer me first.” You say, and she groans before gesturing for you to go on. “Would you smooch a fish?”   
  
“Oh-my-god.” You have to stop Alphys from slamming herself head first into the pile of garbage right by her. “D-don’t tease me!”   
  
“Alphys, I’m being serious here!” You laugh as she tries to squirm away from your grip around her waist. “C’mon!”   
  
“I- I- Well, would you smooch a- a goat?!” She yells back, sure that’ll shut you down. But, what she doesn’t know is that you feel no shame about having a crush on the sad king.   
  
“Yes.” You solemnly reply and she collapses against you, giggling.   
  
“I- I can’t believe you j-just admitted that!” She gasps.   
  
“Why? You going to make fun of me for it?” You ask.   
  
“N-no! W-well, okay, maybe a l-little.” She admits. You let her go and she straightens her lab coat. “T-truth is, I liked Undyne for a long time.”   
  
“You mean, you like like her, right?”   
  
“All of the likes, I guess.” She laughs, “It’s h-hard, though… to a-admit it out loud. B-but, you’re easy to talk to.”   
  
You scratch the back of her neck, “Well, gosh, now you’re making me feel bad for teasing you.” Taking the envelope out, you hold it towards her until she takes it. “Well, go on. Read it.”   
  
She turns the envelope over in her hands, brow furrowing when she tries to open it. “It’s, uh, stuck?” Extending a claw, she manages to slice down the side of it and pull the letter out. Squinting at the paper, she silently reads. “O-oh my gosh! I-is, I- I mean, who-?”   
  
Crossing you arms, you lean against a sturdy pile of trash. “Undyne wrote it. She was reeeal nervous about giving it to you, too.”   
  
“I- I’m going to faint!” She gasps.   
  
“No you’re not.”   
  
“S-she can’t feel this way about me!”   
  
“Why not?” Your confusion only grows when she shrinks into herself.   
  
“B-because I’m a liar, a fraud, a nobody that just… hurts people!” She bursts out, “She, oh my god, thinks I’m… much c-cooler than I actually am! A-and if she finds out the t-truth about me! I… I’ll just hurt her too!”   
  
“So, what, you’re going to pretend that you don’t like her and lie about that too?” You don’t even bother trying to dispute her thoughts about herself. You get the whole self-deprecation thing, being guilty of it yourself at times. It’s a hard habit to force down.   
  
“N-no… I can’t…” She whimpers, “W-what if she finds out by herself? She’ll… she’ll just get hurt w-worse i-if I didn’t tell her first! But… I d-don’t know how!”   
  
“Want to try practicing on me first?” You suggest, and she lights up.   
  
“L-like roleplaying?! That… that sounds kind of fun, actually! Umm…” She shyly shuffles her feet, “Who… who gets to play as Undyne?”   
  
That’s not what you meant, but you can go along with this. As a matter of fact… “Okay, then I get to be you, and you have to be Undyne.”   
  
“W-wha?!”   
  
“Start the scene, Alphys.” You can only grin as she falters, wondering if she’ll work up the courage to go through with this. You hope she does- maybe pretending to be the loud captain of the guard will give her more confidence?   
  
“Oh, fine…” She sighs, “M-maybe, you’ll show m-me the things I s-should say…” Clearing her throat, she puts her hands on her hips and tries to imitate Undyne’s smile. “Ngaaaah! Hey, Alphys! You look cute today! Which I often platonically say, because I would NEVER like like you!”   
  
Pfft. If Undyne calls her cute on the regular, no wonder she was desperate enough to get someone to deliver the letter for her. Alphys, you dense little thing.   
  
“Yo, you’re one hot hotbaby!” You answer, because why not. You’re inspired.   
  
“What? Alphys?!” Alphys sputters, blushing, but keeping in character. “What’s gotten into you?! How… How dare you call me that?! First off, I’m a baby knight! Captain of the babies! Treat my position with respect, or I will strike you down!” She looks to the side, stifling a giggle. “Uh… now pretend I’m suplexing a boulder for no reason. Um, anyway, what do you say, Alphys?”   
  
Snickering, you say, “I kiss you.”   
  
“WHA- I WOULD NEVER-” She yelps, breaking character.   
  
"I kiss you harder.”   
  
“Alphys, w-what are you doing, I s-say pushing you away from me. You sh-shouldn’t k-kiss me!” She is so red right now. Should you feel bad? Because you don’t. “B-but you’re so good at it, I have no choice but to kiss you back! NGAAAAH NGAAAH I’M UNDYNE AND I’M PILING ON THE SMOOCHES!”   
  
“What in the...” You and Alphys turn in unison to see a flabbergasted Undyne standing there with a look of complete confusion on her face.   
  
“Hiiii.” You wave. Undyne turns her attention to you, and you get the impression that she doesn’t know whether or not to punch you.   
  
“U-undyne!” Alphys yelps, “Bones and I… we were just… roleplaying?”   
  
“Roleplaying.” She repeats.   
  
“Y-yeah.” Alphys twiddles her thumbs, “I, uh, read your letter.”   
  
“You did?” Undyne looks at her, grinning at the flush on the other’s cheeks.   
  
“I- I like you too!” Alphys shouts, “B-but, I’m afraid, that once you know the real me, a-and how I lied about a-anime being real, and how much I slack off, and… other things, you won’t anymore!”   
  
“Really? Is that all?” Undyne crosses her arms, “Alph, you really don’t think I know what you’re really like? Because I’m pretty sure I do.”   
  
“You- you do?!” Alphys squeaks when Undyne approaches her. You, feeling like the ultimate third wheel, back out of the way.   
  
“Yup! You’re a HUGE NERD, who is PASSIONATE about everything she’s into. And THAT’S all that matters to me.” She shrugs, “So what if anime isn’t real when WE ARE?”   
  
“U-undyne!” Alphys gasps, stars in her eyes. She stutters as Undyne leans down to kiss her on the forehead.   
  
“So, uh, sorry dork.” She looks over at you, “But I think I’ll be taking up the rest of the doctor’s day. That cool with you?” You quickly nod.   
  
“I, um, gotta get to the lab real fast!” Alphys pipes up, “M-meet me there in a bit, Undyne?” With that, the yellow monster runs off.   
  
“Oh my god.” Undyne breathes, a dopey grin on her face, “WOOO! I DID IT!”   
  
“Haha, congrats?”   
  
“But, uh, you think Alphys is mistaken right?” When you give her a confused look, she elaborates, “I mean, anime HAS to be real, right?”   
  
“Yeah, sure it is. What kind of world do we live in if there are no magical princesses?” You sarcastically reply.   
  
“I KNOW, RIGHT?!” Undyne bellows, slapping your back and knocking the wind out of you, “LATER, PUNK! Thanks for delivering my letter!” With that. she runs off too.   
  
“What a day.” You sigh to yourself. Well, guess it’s time to head back to Snowdin. You’re sure to get the details from Alphys later.


	27. Woof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the last are kinda the calm before the storm. It's almost time to uncover a few secrets, do a little adventure, all that fun stuff. But for now, have some awkward family time.

“Ow!” Frisk yelps as you run a comb through another section of the mop they call hair.  
  
“When’s the last time you actually washed your hair?” You demand, picking out yet another bramble.  
  
“I don’t remember.” They sulk.  
  
“Well, you’re going to wash it tonight then. Maybe let me trim it?” You frown down at them, “It’s gotten kind of long.” Their hair is almost midway down their back. Human hair sure grows fast.  
  
“Maybe a little.” They squirm as you attack another tangle, “I… kind of like it long?”  
  
“BONES!” Papyrus bursts into the bathroom, “ARE YOU DONE GROOMING THE HUMAN YET? IF THEY DON’T LEAVE SOON, THEY WILL BE LATE!”  
  
“Give me a minute!” You put the comb back on the counter next to the sink, “Hold on, you still look like a shaggy dog.”  
  
“Woof.”  
  
Snorting, you manage to gather their hair and weave it into a single braid. Papyrus watches, fascinated as you tie off the end with a band. Once you let go, Frisk runs out of the bathroom, presumably to grab their things.  
  
“WOWIE, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?”  
  
“What? The braid? I had a friend who had long hair on their head like that.” You shrug it off, “She’d ask me to do it for her sometimes. Had to teach me, but it’s easy enough.” She was a human foster ‘sister’, and she had you help her while her arm was healing from a broken bone. But you’re not up for explaining that to Papyrus just yet.  
  
“HAIR MUST BE AMAZING TO HAVE.” He sighs.  
  
“Did you hear Frisk this morning? They were acting like I was torturing them.” You laugh, “I think the maintenance alone would drive me crazy.”  
  
“Sans!” You can hear Frisk complain from downstairs, “Ketchup sandwiches are not good lunches!”  
  
“THERE’S A BACKUP LUNCH IN THE FRIDGE. I SHALL RETRIEVE IT.” Papyrus rolls his eyes, “I KNEW SANS WOULD DO THAT! SO PREDICTABLE.” He leaves you alone in the bathroom. With a small, relieved sigh, you lean against the wall and look at the mirror across from you.  
  
You have the same cheekbones. The same freckles. The eye sockets are the same shape, even if the right one is decorated by a crack. The bones are still the color of ivory. But, somehow, you look different. Stronger. More secure. The last time you looked in a mirror, you were washing your face in the local library’s bathroom. They were out of soap.  
  
It’s still you. But a better you.  
  
“Bones!” Frisk calls for you, “Are you gonna say bye to me or what?!”  
  
When you finally get downstairs, Papyrus is fussing over Frisk like a proud mother while Sans is obnoxiously snapping photos on his phone. The kid is taking this with a pained expression on their face, which lights up when they spot you.  
  
“Alright, you need to get going.” You shoot the brothers a look, “You sure you guys don’t want to tag along? Maybe attend class with them?”  
  
Before Papyrus can respond with a resounding ‘YES”, the shorter skeleton says, “nah.” He fiddles with his phone, and a second later yours buzzes. You can bet gold he sent you the pictures he just took. “hey frisk?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“you’ll do fine. just try not to be too much of a teacher’s pet. the last one who did that wound up in a kennel.”  
  
“Is this another jab at my hair?!” Frisk demands, “I’ll have you know, there are humans who can only wish to have volume like this!”  
  
“AND AT LEAST ONE SKELETON TOO.” Papyrus wistfully adds.  
  
“Do I need to walk you?” You ask.  
  
Frisk pouts at you. “Don’t do anything fun without me!”  
  
“I’ll sit on the couch all day until you get home.” You assure them.  
  
“YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!” Papyrus shrieks.  
  
“Because I know it was you that got Alphys and Undyne to go on that date yesterday.” Frisk continues, “I wanted to do that!”  
  
You roll your eyes, “Yeah, yeah, I know. All future yenta-ings are to be handled by you, the professional.” They hover near the door, shooting daggers at you until you sigh and approach. “You know you don’t actually have to go?” You mutter.  
  
“When we’re back on the surface, I’ll have to go back anyway.” They mutter back, “Might as well keep up with the other kids my age.”  
  
“Good call.” You praise them, and the shaky smile on their face betrays their nervousness. You brush your teeth over the top of their head in a quick nuzzle.  
  
“Ugh, I mean it! No funny business while I’m gone!” Frisk gives you a quick hug before backing out of the house, giving you the ‘I’m watching you’ gesture. When the door closes, Papyrus sniffles.  
  
“bro, they’ll be back later tonight.”  
  
“IT’S JUST… I WAS SO USED TO THEM BEING HERE.” Papyrus turns his sad eyes towards you, “YOU’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, RIGHT?”  
  
“....No?” You meekly reply.  
  
“IT’S JUST… I LIKE KNOWING WHERE MY FRIENDS ARE.” He fiddles with his ungloved hands.  
  
“we’ll have dinner together tonight, bro.” Sans is quick to reassure, “hey, let’s invite grillby too. think he’ll cook for us?”  
  
“I- I THINK I WOULD LIKE THAT.” He wraps you and Sans into a hug, managing to lift the both of you in the air before setting you down again. “WELL, I SHOULD RECALIBRATE MY PUZZLES. SANS, MAKE SURE YOU DISCUSS WITH BONES ABOUT THE THING.”  
  
“The thing?” You ask Sans, who shrugs.  
  
“YES. THE THING.” With that, Papyrus is gone too.  
  
“...” Sans sighs and wipes at his forehead, “another effect of the resets.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“did you read any of my notes in depth?” When you shake your head, he continues, “there was one where undyne was killed. didn’t have the heart to tell him that, so i said she went on vacation instead. hey, don’t give me that look. i knew everything was gonna reset anyway, so why give papyrus the heartbreak?”  
  
“Whenever someone died, you told him they went on vacation?” You ask in disbelief.  
  
“i wouldn’t have, if i knew there would be residual damage to his psyche.” Sans says in frustration, “i only really noticed how bad it’s gotten when i overheard him calling undyne last night just to make sure she was still home and that they were still friends. it freaked her the hell out. freaked me out too. it's not just nightmares anymore.”  
  
“We… we have to stop lying to him.” You say, and Sans begrudgingly nods, “Like, even about the resets. I… I don’t know how it feels, really, to go through that and not know why. At least I know why I have my nightmares.”  
  
“...i’m gonna need to make a powerpoint.”  
  
“What?!”  
  
“papyrus is a visual learner! trust me.” Sans closes his eyes, “maybe i should pull out the scrapbook too. anyway, this isn’t what papyrus wanted me to talk to you about.”  
  
“You mean the thing?”  
  
“yeah, the thing.” He chuckles, “the thing where we try and see where you’re at with blue magic.”  
  
“Blue magic?” You dumbly repeat, “Uh, I’m not sure what branch that is. I mean, fire is considered ‘red’, I’m pretty sure… so is blue water?”  
  
“manipulation of gravity.” Sans supplies, “what, you don’t call it blue up there?”  
  
“No. We just call it gravity magic. And, well, I know some of it? It was usually to pick locks, when I didn’t have any bobby pins left.” You look away when Sans gives you a judgemental look. “I thought I wasn’t supposed to do big magic?”  
  
“blue magic ain’t big magic.” Sans argues, “this stuff is s’posed to come naturally to us.”  
  
“Right.” You sigh.  
  
“you’ve only done it on inanimate objects?” Sans asks, and you nod. “okay, we’ll start with that then. turning SOULs blue is a bit different. gotta work our way up. try grabbing that pillow.”  
  
Casting a look at one of the pillows on the couch, you reach for it with your magic, and the entire couch shifts. Before you can think, it comes flying at you. You duck just in time, and it crashes into the wall behind you.  
  
“... try not to use so much magic next time.” Sans suggests.  
  
“What was that?!” You yelp from the floor.  
  
“i think you’re used to forcing magic out. just, uh, let it flow.” Looking up, you see Sans nervously looking from you to the couch. With barely the snap of his phalanges, the couch drifts back into its original place.  
  
“There’s a dent in the wall.” You observe, rolling to your feet.  
  
“we’ll fix it later. let’s take this outside and practice on snow.” When you continue to look at the damage in concern, he grabs your wrist and tugs, “don’t worry about it. it’s not like this is the first time you broke the house.”  
  
“It was one window!” You protest, then hesitate, “And your door.”  
  
“my lock doesn’t work anymore.” Sans comments, delighting in the embarrassed look on your face.  
  
“You’re an ass.” You comment, nudging him out of the way so that you can walk out the door.  
  
Sans shrugs, “i have my moments.”  
  
The two of you end up at the edge of town, far away enough to keep the town safe from stray magic. Sans sits at the foot of a tree, lazily watching as you shove snow around using magic.  
  
It’s more difficult than you’d think. Before, where all you cared about was getting enough out to do _something_ , now all of you is focusing on keeping control. Use too much, and you end up knocking a branch off a tree. Too little, and a snowball just might inch forward a little. Needless to say, it’s a great victory when you are able to keep a snowball hovering steadily in the air.  
  
“great. now try lifting a branch.”  
  
“A branch? Really?”  
  
“gotta work your way up. taught papyrus this way too.”  
  
“Yeah, but Sans…” You let out a frustrated sigh, “You do know I’m not a babybones, right? I can skip a few steps.”  
  
“right.” Sans drawls, “so, you have control over a small amount of frozen water packed into a tiny ball. obviously, that means you can step right on up to throwing SOULs around.”  
  
“Who said anything about throwing around SOULs?!” You argue, “It’s not like I’m ever going to use it that way. I was just thinking- I can try something bigger!”  
  
“it’s one of the primary ways we defend ourselves.” Sans looks exasperated at this conversation, “why wouldn’t you use blue magic ‘in that way’?”  
  
“I have my shields.” You cross your arms and look away, “At least, with them, I won’t actually hurt anybody.”  
  
“...” Sans shakes his head, “just when i think i’m beginning to understand you… blue magic doesn’t necessarily mean you’re hurting someone. it means that you can disable them. knock a weapon out of their hands. pin them to the floor. it’s a lot of more… precise than just throwing up a shield and hoping for the best.”  
  
“...Look, can we just revisit this later?” You mutter, turning to head back to town- only to jump back when Sans is suddenly in front of you. “Don’t do that!” Freaking teleportation.  
  
“i remember when you broke into the house and jumped from my window- you threw a bone at me. broke my hold on you so that i could duck, and papyrus was hit instead. man, was i pissed at you at the time.” Sans laughs.  
  
“S-sorry…” You mutter.  
  
“we’re both over it.” He assures you, “pretty much the moment it happened, actually. because that bone of yours… it didn’t even phase papyrus. he was mostly surprised. it was like you didn’t use any attack power at all.”  
  
You don’t have any comment on the matter.  
  
“but it isn’t that you didn’t _use_ any attack power, is it?” Sans continues to put you on edge, “you just don’t have any. it’s all in your defense… kinda strange, i admit. most monsters like to have a good balance, even if they favor one over the other. so, why?”  
  
“Nosy, much?” You shoot back, crossing your arms.  
  
“yup.” He taps the side of his nasal cavity, “it’s okay, if you’re not comfortable enough to divulge that particular secret right now. i can be patient.”  
  
“You’re assuming a lot there.” It’s really off putting, how out of depth you are when it comes to Sans.  
  
“heh.” The shorter skeleton finally steps aside, letting you pass with that obnoxious smirk pasted on his face. He falls into step with you silently, sipping from a ketchup bottle and giving you space with a small bit of company. Despite your irritation, it’s nice.  
  
It’s not like you expected Sans’ curiosity to lessen after learning about where you came from. Of course the questions will keep on coming, even if he backs off whenever you’re clear on not wanting to provide answers. But this question in particular… why is your attack shit? You’ve always assumed it’s because you don’t want to hurt anybody. That harming another isn’t something that you will tolerate. Hah. That’s a nice lie you tell to yourself.  
  
Didn’t you tell Frisk, all those nights ago, about how you would defend yourself with human weapons? All because you couldn’t really depend on your magic? You know exactly where to strike with a knife, where to hit with a blunt object to get a human to back off the most quickly. Hell, there was that one week in the worse part of the city- Impact had to leave you for a few nights, but not before teaching you how to shoot with a gun. How _messed up_ was that?!  
  
“It’s a psychological thing.” You realize out loud. Sans slowly puts his ketchup bottle away. “I kind of… associate violence with humans, and the way they fight… it’s with weapons. Not magic. I guess… I don’t want to have something that’s such a central part of me, to be compared to that.”  
  
“you attacked mettaton with that knife.” Sans recalls, “and put up that shield to protect frisk.”  
  
“But you’re right. About blue magic being useful.” You allow, “I do have to be better at it. To have _control_ over it.”  
  
“i’ll rewrite my lesson plans.” Sans thoughtfully says, “so that it’ll focus more on your defensive magic. we’ll try again later, okay?”  
  
You allow a smile and walk closer to the smaller skeleton, letting the other’s arm brush up against yours every so often. “I’d like that.”  
  
It’s a slow walk back to the house. By the time you’re opening the front door, it’s early evening. Practicing in the snow must’ve taken a lot longer than you thought. “Frisk should be getting home soon.” You mention, and Sans nods.  
  
“i know the teach. he’s a bit of a hardass. betcha the kid’s gonna have plenty of homework.” He smirks as he steps through the door.  
  
“You delight in Frisk’s pain, don’t you.” You sigh.  
  
“it’s the simple pleasures in life- uh…” Sans stops short and you almost topple over him.  
  
“Sans, what the-” Following his gaze, your jaw snaps open when you spot Papyrus. Well, Papyrus and Grillby. On the couch. Having a pretty heated make out section. Hands are drifting to, uh, places. Places that shouldn’t be exposed in polite company. You’re pretty sure no one can blame you for letting out a loud wolf whistle at the sight.  
  
“my virgin eyes!” Sans cries out, shaking himself out of his stupor, and promptly slaps a hand over _your_ eye sockets. Prying his phalanges off takes a few seconds, and during this time Grillby manages to fall over the side of the couch.  
  
“THERE IS NOTHING VIRGIN ABOUT YOUR EYES.” An annoyed Papyrus yells back at Sans.  
  
Stars, this is your life now.  
  
“bro… please zip up your pants.” Sans begs. You watch in morbid fascination as Grillby army crawls towards the kitchen.  
  
“REMEMBER WHEN YOU ALMOST STARTED A FAMILY FEUD BETWEEN US AND THE RABBITS?” Papyrus scowls, but soon after you hear a zipper being drawn up.  
  
“what does this have to do with what’s happening now?” Sans reasonably asks.  
  
“YOU AND BUN GOT DRUNK AND RAVAGED EACH OTHER ON OUR COUCH.” Papyrus reminds him, “HER FATHER THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO MARRY HER!”  
  
Bun… isn’t she that rabbit with the drinking problem? Suddenly you understand Mopsy’s standoffish behavior towards Sans a lot better.  


“AND MAY I REMIND YOU THAT I WALKED IN ON THAT AND GOT A CONCUSSION FROM TRYING TO KNOCK MYSELF OUT WITH THE DOOR?” Papyrus stands up, hands on his hips, the very vision of offended younger brother.

“we are not physically capable of getting a concussion.” Sans feebly protests, “and that’s totally why we established the ‘sock on the doorknob’ rule! papyrus, why, why wasn’t there a sock on the doorknob?!”  
  
“I, ER, FORGOT? ABOUT THAT RULE? IT’S NOT LIKE I NEEDED TO USE IT BEFORE!” Papyrus is blushing bright orange now, “IS THAT WHY YOU KEEP THAT SOCK IN THE LIVING ROOM? IN CASE OF DRUNKEN SHENANIGANS?!”

“for _all_ the shenanigans.” Sans emphasizes.  
  
Grillby, you note, is now trying to become one with the wall. Letting the two brothers argue the embarrassment out of this situation seems to be the proper course of action, so you stride across the room, grab the fire elemental’s arm, and drag his unprotesting form into the kitchen.  
  
“What was that?” You ask, half laughing and half cringing from awkwardness. Grillby buries his face in his hands, everything about him radiating embarrassment.  
  
_We were waiting for the baked potatoes to finish._ You barely flinch when Grillby deposits the words in your head. Progress, right?  
  
Looking over at the oven, you see that it is indeed on. “Oh, right.” You remember. “We were all going to have dinner together.”  
  
_Things… got out of hand._  
  
You burst out laughing. “Stars… the look on your face…”  
  
_I fail to see the humor in this._ Grillby crackles. _I will not be able to look at Sans in the eyes ever again. I’ll have to ban him from my restaurant!_ _  
_ _  
_ “Don’t!” You snicker, “That’ll break his heart!”  
  
_He doesn’t have a heart._ Grillby slumps against the counter, and that’s the least uptight you’ve ever seen him. Combined with the jeans and black shirt he has on… you can see what Papyrus sees in him. He’s rather handsome for a fire elemental. _Perhaps I should take my leave._  
  
“Nope.” Your reply is instantaneous, and clearly startles the other, judging by the way he’s looking at you. “What we’re going to do, is pretend this never happened.”  
  
_What?_  
  
“Once those two are done wearing each other out-” You jerk your head towards the living room, where the brothers are still loudly conversing with each other, “We’re going to bring the food out, and have a nice, awkward, dinner where we make polite conversation and avoid any awkward subject matter.”  
  
_That doesn’t sound-_ Grillby starts to say, but is startled silent again when he hears the front door slamming open.  
  
“I’m finally home!” Frisk announces, “And I have a lot of questions- like why, in the underground, where everybody is made of magic and fart rainbows and stuff, do you guys STILL make children learn algebra? ALSO, why do monsters have magical puberty? The teacher wouldn’t answer anything I asked, but he was the one who brought it up first? Sans, HOW are monster babies made anyway?!”  
  
“Oh my god.” You loudly whisper, “Frisk, you magnificent child.”  
  
“CABBAGE PATCHES!” Papyrus loudly exclaims, “WE ERUPT FROM CABBAGE PATCHES!”  
  
“But- magic puberty?” Frisk questions.  
  
“DURING THE PEAK OF THE FULL MOON!”  
  
“we’ll tell you when you’re thirty.” Sans says.  
  
“Are the potatoes done?” You ask Grillby.  
  
_it is very tempting to set up camp in here and never come back out._ He says, and you take it as a yes.  
  
Dinner, just as you expected, is a very awkward affair. Grillby is fully prepared to seat himself on the floor, away from his boyfriend, but Papyrus pulls the elemental onto the seat next to him. Except, well, the taller skeleton misjudges his aim and Grillby ends up on his lap.  
  
“no reason to act like your pants are on fire.” Sans finds it within himself to comment when Grillby practically leaps onto the nearest couch cushion.  
  
“SANS STOP EMBARRASSING HIM.” Papyrus sighs, patting Grillby on the shoulder.  
  
“well, if you can’t handle the heat…” Sans trails off, lazily shooting daggers at the couple with his eye sockets.  
  
“Bones, what’s going on?” Frisk asks, warily eyeing the other adults, “Why does Grillby look like he’s about to spontaneously combust?”  
  
“I’ll tell you when you’re thirty.” You echo Sans while casually eating your potato. Frisk pouts down at their plate.  
  
The dinner continues in silence for a little while after that. So, when your phone starts ringing, everybody jumps and stares at you. Flushing, you grab the device and fumble with it. The ringing stops, but then starts again a few seconds later. It’s an unknown number, you note.  
  
“I’m- uh, gonna see what this is all about.” You mutter to the silent stares.  
  
By the third time the unknown number rings, you’re outside the house. This time, you answer. “H-hello?”  
  
“Bones.” It’s Undyne. Her tone is weird, all deadly calm. Not an ounce of loudness to it, even though her words ring soundly in your ear canals. “When’s the last time you’ve spoken to Alphys?”  
  
“Not since the two of you went on that date yesterday.” You honestly reply, “Why?”  
  
“Shit.” She hisses, “She hasn’t been answering my calls. I thought that, maybe, I did something wrong, but if she’s not even contacting you- NGAH!”  
  
“You think something’s wrong?” You anxiously ask.  
  
“I don’t know.” She sounds frustrated, “I’m… stuck in the capital. Handling an accident, I have to question a few more monsters before I can go look for her. Do me a favor, and check her lab?”  
  
“Y-yeah! Of course!” You say, because now you’re kind of worried too.  
  
“She seemed happy, the last time I saw her.” Undyne fondly says, “Maybe I’m just being the overprotective girlfriend, but-”  
  
“You’re different when it comes to Alphys.” You finish her sentence for her, “I know. It’s no trouble. I’m on my way now.”  
  
“Thanks, punk.” She hangs up.  
  
Hesitantly, you look back at the house. Maybe you should get Frisk? But, if you do, you’ll have to explain to the brothers and Grillby what’s going on too. You have a feeling Undyne wants you to be discreet about this. Besides, if there’s any real trouble, you can call Sans and he can teleport to you in a split second anyway.  
  
“I know where she is.” Flowey pops up beside you, features carefully arranged to look bored. But you think you know the flower better than that now. “But, I guess I should warn you…”  
  
“Warn me? About what?”  
  
“Once you find her…” He looks up at you, “You’ll know the _real_ secret she’s hiding. And I don’t know if you can handle it. I mean, she is supposed to be your friend, right?”  
  
“Is Alphys in trouble?” You urgently ask. Flowey hesitates, but then nods. “Then take me to her. Whatever I learn… I’ll have to handle it. There’s no other choice.”  
  
“If you’re sure…” He singsongs.  
  
“And, if you can do me a favor…” You look down, watching as vines wrap around your ankles, “Tell Frisk where I’ve gone. They’ll be worried.”  
  
“No promises.” Flowey scowls, and then tugs.  
  
You’re enveloped by earth once more.   


	28. The True Lab

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This thing is a monster. Also, no matter the color of your regular magic, blue magic is still blue in this universe. Same goes for other 'types' that monsters can use, but I haven't actually gotten around to those yet. Have fun, kiddos!

It’s the second time Flowey transported you in this manner, and it’s still just as terrifying as the first. At least he doesn’t comment when you cough dirt on the tiles of the lab. Shuddering, you look up, taking in the familiar surroundings.   
  
“I don’t think she’s here.” You say, a little disappointed.   
  
“No, she’s downstairs. We’ve gotta take the elevator.” Flowey jerks his head towards said elevator, “Oh, and look there. It’s a note.”   
  
“You don’t sound very surprised.” You comment as you grab the paper.   
  
“I told you before, didn’t I?” Flowey says as he climbs up on your shoulder, “Even if the script’s all twisted around, the events are kinda the same.”   
  
“You’re coming with me?” You ask, somewhat surprised, “I thought I told you to tell Frisk...:”   
  
“I’m not leaving you down there.” Flowey’s face grows dark, “It’s dangerous to go down there alone. Frisk got hurt… a lot… the first time they explored the place.”   
  
Okay. You’re pretty sure Frisk should have told you this back when they told you all about their plan to track down the lost royal scientist. “Fine.” You sigh, “But, at the first sign of trouble-”   
  
“I’ll get you the hell out of here.” He finishes, “So, what does that note say?”   
  
You glance down at it and recognize Alphys’ chicken scratch. Squinting at the words, you read it out loud, “You guys- Thanks for your help back there. Your support really means a lot to me. But… as difficult as it is to say this… You guys alone can’t magically make my own problems go away. I want to be a better person. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. And for that to happen, I need to be able to face my own mistakes. I’m going to start doing that now. I want to be clear. This isn’t anyone else’s problem but mine. But if you don’t ever hear from me again… If you want to know ‘the truth’... go down the elevator. You all at least deserve to know what I did.” When her words sink in, you blurt out, “Why wouldn’t we hear from her again?!”   
  
“Because she’s a coward.” Flowey replies, “A big one.”   
  
“Flowey!” You reprimand him.   
  
“Well, sorry, but it’s true!” He shoots back, “Instead of, oh, I don’t know, calling you or Undyne for help, she just disappears without a trace? Worrying you guys? Making you search for her? Yeah, that’s not cowardly at all!”   
  
“When someone feels like they’re trapped, that they have no choice…” You firmly press the button next to the elevator, and the doors slide open. “They don’t think things through.” You step inside.   
  
“You sound like you know what you’re talking about.” Flowey sounds almost accusing.   
  
“I’m not like Alphys.” You shrug and look at the panel. There are just two buttons, so you press the one labelled ‘B’. “But, once upon a time, I was almost her.” The elevator descends. “I just thought, with getting together with Undyne and all… she’d feel a lot better about things.”   
  
“Once you find out why she feels the way she does, you’ll retract that statement.” Flowey sulks, but soon his expression becomes alarmed when there’s a sudden lurch. “What was that?!”   
  
_“Have you ever…”_ You freeze and look around the elevator, trying to spot where this new voice came from. _“...thought about a world where everything is exactly the same…”_ The voice breathes against your ear canal, and you spin, shouting in surprise when you see a small, grayscale Monster Kid staring blankly up at you. _“Except you don’t exist?”_ _  
_ _  
_ “How did you get in here?!” You shout.   
  
“What? What are you talking about?!” Flowey cringes as the elevator lurches yet again, “I came in here with you, MORON!”   
  
_“Everything functions perfectly without you…”_ The newcomer trails off, _“Ha, ha… The thought terrifies me.”_   
  
“No, I mean, that kid-” But they disappear right before your eyes.   
  
“What kid?” The metal box around you violently shakes, and you hear cables snapping. There’s a sinking feeling in your SOUL when you realize what’s happening.   
  
“Holy shit. This is a nightmare isn’t it?” You close your eyes, “Brace yourself.” Another single, loud, snap reaches your ears, and the elevator plummets down. Flowey’s shrieks penetrate your skull, his vines coiling tight around your body, and then there’s that helpless feeling of weightlessness. But, when you open your eyes, everything around you is blue.   
  
The elevator slows to a crawl. You’re still descending, but at a nice, steady pace. Thank the stars Sans had you practicing just hours earlier- even though you’re getting pretty exhausted from using more magic than you’re used to.   
  
“Blue magic.” Flowey sighs, voice faint, “I almost forgot you had that.”   
  
“I think I did too.” You reply, numbly letting the magic go when the elevator softly lands. You note that the power seems to be off. Pressing the button to get back to the first floor confirms this. Not like you’d be able to go up there anyway, considering the cables must be broken. The dim emergency lights overhead are just enough to make out the door. You have to pull it open in order to step through.   
  
It’s a hallway. Again, everything is lit up with the emergency backup lights, so you start walking down it. “Alphys never talked about this being down here.” You whisper.   
  
“She doesn’t tell anybody about it.” Flowey whispers back, “Unless you’ve been here before she became the royal scientist, you wouldn’t know a thing about this place.”   
  
“What’s with the monitors?” They’re all lined up along the wall, large and black. When you tap a screen with one bony finger, static erupts, but not much else. You chalk this up to the lack of power.   
  
“I don’t know. Security cameras?” Flowey’s petals twitch as you approach the end of the hall, and the room ahead opens into what you’d call a ‘waiting room’. Chairs line up one end, with small, bare tables scattered about. There’s a vending machine that appears to be working too. You press a button and a bag of chisps pop out. “Is now really the time to eat?”   
  
“Sorry.” You mutter, putting the treats away. “Hm?” Next to the vending machine is another door, with a locked panel beside it. There are four key holes, each a different color- guess whatever’s inside is important. Another quick glance tells you that there are two ways you can go from here. Question is, “Which way should we go?”   
  
“Uhh… left?” Flowey suggests. Shrugging, you follow his directions. So far, there’s no sign of Alphys. Just cold, empty halls. It’s just like the sterile cold, you shudder, that Asgore keeps his basement. Nothing good happened here, did it?   
  
You open the door at the end, and hiss. “An… operating room?” That’s the only way you can describe it. There are several empty gurneys lined up against the wall. On the other side are large sinks. You go further in, and spot various surgical tools lying on one of the gurneys. You pick a scalpel up.   
  
“That doesn’t look like any knife I’ve seen.” Flowey frowns at it.   
  
“It’s used to cut people open.” You reply.   
  
“Well, _duh_ , but don’t all knives do that?”   
  
“No- this is different. It’s made for humans to perform surgeries on other humans. To cut them open, and fix whatever’s wrong on the inside.” You make a face when you put the item down, noting that the tips of your phalanges are now sticky. What were they used for, down here?   
  
“Humans hurt each other to heal each other.” Flowey says, “Why am I not surprised?”   
  
You approach one of the sinks. Turning the faucet, you’re relieved when water comes pouring out, You wash off the sticky substance, then cut the water off. Something shiny catches your eye, and you reach down to grab it.  A red key.   
  
“Are you serious?” You laugh, “Are all the other keys scattered around here like some kind of puzzle game? What do these keys even do?”   
  
“They unlock the door to the power room.” Flowey responds, “So, if we ever want to get out of here, or get in contact with anyone… we’re gonna need to reset the entire facility’s power.”   
  
“Can’t you just… dig your way out?” You ask.   
  
“...” Flowey gives you a dirty look.   
  
“Hey, don’t get mad at me just because you haven’t thought of it first.” You tease.   
  
“Just… stay here.” He orders, ducking down from your shoulder. You watch as he appears on the floor in front of you. “I mean it! I don’t want to have to search for your bony butt all around this place!”   
  
“I love you too, Flowey.” You sarcastically reply, enjoying the disgusted sneer on the flower’s face. He then takes a deep breath, petals twitching, and… nothing happens.   
  
“Huh?” He frowns, “What the…” Flowey’s face contorts with concentration.   
  
“Having trouble there?” You ask.   
  
“Shut up!” He snaps back, “It’s just… I can’t do it with you watching me like that!”

“Are you serious?”   
  
“Stop staring!”   
  
Snorting, you shrug and turn around, “That better?”   
  
“Just… peachy.”   
  
You cross your arms, waiting. Some time passes, and you’re about to call Flowey out on screwing around with you, but then you hear a *THUNK* and a loud “OW!” from the flower. When you turn around, you have to hold in a snicker at the sight of him, face first against the tiles.   
  
“Are… are you okay?” You manage.   
  
“I can’t do it.” Flowey mutters, “It’s like trying to swim through a concrete wall.”   
  
“Why?” You wonder, and your companion shrugs with his petals. Sighing, you crouch down and offer your arm, letting the sulking flower climb back on.   
  
“I don’t know! This never happened before!” He complains, “Ugh, even if we find Alphys, how are we getting out of here?!”   
  
“Hold on, let me try calling someone.” You quickly scroll down to Frisk’s number, and call them. Static erupts from your phone.   
  
“Ah! Turn if off!” Flowey snaps, face red.   
  
“I’m trying!” You shriek back, pressing the ‘end call’ button on the screen. The static just gets louder.   
  
“No, not that button- AGH, just turn the whole thing off!”   
  
“.... _why don’t you…”_ Words are heard through the static, making the two of you pause.   
  
“Who’s that? Who did you call?!”   
  
“I just called Frisk’s number! That doesn’t sound like them at all!”   
  
“ _...come join the fun?”_ It sounds like many voices at once, sickly sweet and mostly terrifying.   
  
“No thanks!” Flowey shrieks, jabbing at the screen with a vine.   
  
“ _...such a shame…”_ The static abruptly stops.   
  
“That’s probably not good.” You comment, and almost drop your phone when the static erupts again.   
  
“ _...hold… still.... BROTHER.”_   
  
The faucet turns on by itself. Backing up, you watch in fright as something that isn’t water forces its way out of the pipes. Flowey turns towards the door, “Get us out of here!”   
  
But you don’t listen. As the creature laboriously climbs through the faucet, drip by drip, an image overlays it. A tall, dark figure, familiar even if you can’t make out the features, standing menacingly over you. The smell of moldy furniture and tobacco invade your nasal cavity, and you instinctively cough, eye sockets widening as the figure takes a firm, dangerous step forward. And, fuck, you _told Impact not to leave. He knew the two of you were being watched! Where’s the gun?! But before you can even scramble towards your rucksack, there’s a loud BANG and the figure topples face first onto the ground._ _  
_   
_“That’s just what they do, isn’t it?” Impact grumbles, stepping over the prone form. “Wait ‘til some kid’s all nice and vulnerable, and then they strike. Pfft. Makes you wonder who the real monsters are.”_   
  
Something roars in the background, and you’re knocked to the ground. “BONES!” A familiar voice screams. You blink, and suddenly you’re not in that motel room anymore. A vine creeps out from the sleeve of your sweater and shoots out, striking something that’s like a caricature of the human brain, all made up of static and glitches and parts that don’t belong. It shrieks back at Flowey, jerking forward instead of back, and oh that’s certainly not good.   
  
Gathering your wits, you stand, swaying slightly. Your phone is still clenched in your hand, and you hold it in front of your sternum like it’s going to protect you. “... _Lorem ipsum docet…”_ spills out from the device.   
  
The entire room now smells like copper and ammonia. You’re not sure if it’s because of the creature, or if it’s… NO! Don’t think about that. Not now!   
  
“GO AWAY!” Flowey screeches, his face morphing into something you’d call demonic if you were paying close enough attention. But, no, you have to focus on this… thing. It’s not a Monster, you’re pretty sure. Nothing like that should even be capable of existing! And then it goes forward again, all the while your phone is chanting “ _join us, join us”_ .   
  
You put up a wall between it and you, and it slams against it, almost as if it’s not acknowledging its presence. If so, that’s okay, because your magic effectively stalls the creature enough for you to turn tail and run, slamming the door behind you. And you keep running.   
  
When you come back to yourself, you’re standing in a large room with rows upon rows of hospital beds. “Bones, what was that thing? Frisk never told me about that!” Flowey’s voice is shaking. You try to answer, but your throat clenches and you choke. Wiping at your eyes reveals that you’re steadily crying, and isn’t that strange? It isn’t like you have any reason to cry. Sure, a few bad memories are never a good thing, but…   
  
You collapse face first onto one of the beds.   
  
“Yeah…” Flowey quietly says, “Get some rest. I’ll, uh, keep watch?” He says something else. but you lose consciousness a split second later.   
  
Huddling close to your prone body, Flowey sighs, glancing around the room with suspicion. He hopes that… whatever that thing is… it won’t come back.   
  
It’s strange, isn’t it? Flowey has been through so many timelines, so many lifetimes, and not once has he felt that terror, that helplessness, not since…   
  
_Chara, what must you think of me now?_   
  
A soft sound startles Flowey, and glancing around, he spots a pale white figure approaching. He stares, transfixed, as the figure stops just as the side of the cot you are lying on (and, well, just inches by Flowey too. He’s still kind of wrapped all around you, after all.). The figure seems to hesitate, but then reaches down to grasp the edge of the sheets folded down, and drags them up to cover you. Then it gently strokes the side of your skull, and for a brief instant, Flowey is about to wake you up, but nothing bad is happening, right?   
  
Something is dropped by Flowey. Looking down, he sees that it’s a single yellow key. When he looks back, the figure is gone.   
  
Flowey hides under the covers until you wake up a few minutes later. He will never admit that he had been dozing too, even if he lets out a shocked “mmmMEEEEEEE!” when you gasp, sit up, and shout “What the FUCK WAS THAT?!”   
  
“O-oh!” Flowey clears his throat, “You’re finally up!”   
  
“Did you just _bleat_ at me?!” You demand to know, wiping at your eye sockets, “Like a goat?”   
  
Flowey gasps in outrage, “I did no such thing?!”   
  
You wipe again at your eyes, frowning at the leaking magic. “Y-yeah. okay. Whatever, that’s not important. Just- what was that thing back there?!”   
  
“That… _thing_ …” Flowey sneers, “Was made by Alphys.”   
  
“Alphys wouldn’t make something like that!” You shoot back. There’s no way… you haven’t known the lizard monster for long, but you can tell she’s a good SOUL. And that thing? There isn’t anything good about it!   
  
“Heh, okay. Whatever you say.” Flowey flicks the yellow key at you, watching as you catch it. “Found something for ya. Just need to find two more to get this place up and running again!”   
  
“Where was it?” You ask.   
  
“Under the bed.” Flowey lies, curling close to your neck as you slide off the cot, “Ugh, would you stop crying? Only babies cry!”   
  
“You’re wrong.” You sniffle, taking a closer look at the room. Besides the cots, there isn’t anything else. It’s almost like, once upon a time, there were Monsters down here- why else would so many beds be here? But for what?   
  
“How am I _wrong?_ Tell me, what is that gunk coming out of your eyes any good for?!” Flowey is fired up. The stress must be getting to him. That’s okay. It’s getting to you too.   
  
“It’s the way it is, Flowey.” You sigh, “Something bad happens, you cry. And once you’re done crying, you get up and move forward. Sometimes, you get up even if you’re still crying, because you have to. As long as you’re still moving, it’s okay to cry.”   
  
“Hah! Who told you that trash?!”   
  
You aren’t paying attention to Flowey anymore. Instead, your gaze is drawn towards another monster, still colored in grays, but more head than body. It grins oddly at you. _“I understand, you know. Why the king waited so long to hire a new royal scientist.”_ It rasps at you, _“The previous one, Dr. Gaster… His brilliance was irreplaceable. One day, his experiments went wrong, and… Hah.”_   
  
“Dr. Gaster?” You repeat. Is that the old royal scientist’s name?   
  
_“Well, I needn’t gossip.”_ It starts fading from your vision, _“After all, it’s rude to talk about someone who’s listening…”_   
  
“Who’s that?” Flowey asks, and for a second you think he saw the other monster too. But then, he adds, “I’ve never heard of a Dr. Gaster. That a surface monster?”   
  
“Doesn’t matter.” You shake your head and spot a dog bowl by the door on the north side of the room. It’s still half full. Does that mean there’s a dog somewhere down here? Would be helpful if they show up sometime soon. Maybe they can lead you straight to Alphys instead of wandering around like you are.   
  
Flowey is silent as you go through the door and turn left. Soon, you spot another door, and you open it to find a small, tiled room with a drain in the middle. Further back is a bathtub, with a curtain closed around it so that you can’t see inside.   
  
Throughout your life, you’ve watched horror movies. Good ones, bad ones, and all the ones in between. Every trope and cliche is running in the back of your skull as, against all of your instincts, you take a step towards that tub.   
  
“Could you not?” Flowey asks, hiding behind your skull.   
  
“Shush.” You mutter, and take another step. It doesn’t get any easier- by the time you’re standing just outside of that curtain, your limbs are trembling. What’s on the other side? Another creature like the one in the operating room? Perhaps another gray hallucination that only you could see? Or something else, equally as horrifying? Just _what kind of lab is Alphys running here?_   
  
With one, jerking, motion, you tear the curtain to one side. Flowey screams, high pitched and terrified, and you shout alongside him, falling back and landing on your tailbone. And, standing there, in the bathtub, is…   
  
_Absolutely nothing._   
  
“Flowey, what the hell?!” You yell.   
  
“Sorry, sorry!” Flowey shrinks back, “It’s just, I was prepared for something horrifying to be there!”   
  
“Oh, that’s reassuring.” You sarcastically reply, dusting yourself off and peering into the tub, “You were totally prepared to scream. My hero. Oh, and look. Another key.” A green key this time.   
  
You turn around and almost scream again. Another gray monster, leering at you with a stupid grin on its face.   
  
_“They say he created the core,”_ Its voice cuts through your skull like a knife, _“However, his life… Was cut short. One day, he fell into his creation, and…”_ It shrugs. _“Will Alphys end up the same way?”_   
  
Alphys. Where is she? You’ve had enough of this place. This monster doesn’t disappear like the others, though. You have to edge around it, nervously glancing as it follows you with its unblinking eyes. Once you are by the door, you open it and throw yourself back into the hallway, slamming it shut as you gasp for air.   
  
“What’s with you?” Flowey asks, “You’ve been acting strange ever since we got here.”   
  
“N-nothing.” You quickly reply, “This place just gives me the creeps… We have to find the rest of the keys and just get out of here.”   
  
“There’s another door further down.” Flowey points the way, the expression on his face telling you that he doesn’t believe a word you say. That’s fine. It’s not like you can explain the vivid hallucinations you’re coming across.   
  
“And behind door number two is...” You say, trying to smirk as you grasp the handle of another door. That smirk dies when you see the machine that’s inside. It looks like the skull of some animal, the tubes extending towards the ceiling reminding you of a goat’s horns. “...not a brand new car.” You lamely finish.   
  
“HAH. You’re funny.” Flowey frowns as you approach the machine. Next to it is a computer, which dimly glows.   
  
“Think this’ll tell us something?” You nudge the mouse. The screen blinks on, revealing lines upon lines of data. At the top, you see the words ‘DT EXTRACTION MACHINE STATUS: INACTIVE’. “What’s DT?”   
  
“Determination.” Flowey mutters, rolling his eyes when you give him a questioning look, “All SOULs have some of it. Humans more than Monsters, normally. It’s the stuff that helps human SOULs persist after death for so much longer than a monster’s. Makes ‘em easier to snatch up.”   
  
“Why would Alphys need a machine like this?” You shiver.   
  
“Because the REAL assignment she has from King Asgore isn’t all about smashing robots and magic together, idiot.” Flowey sneers, “Asgore wanted studies done on how human SOULs work, and what can be done with the ones he already has. She used this machine to find, and extract, determination from them. Really… potent stuff, it turns out.”   
  
“What do you mean?” You ask, and Flowey is about to respond when a soft, desperate voice calls out from the other side of the room.   
  
“ _Sn..o...wy?”_ A creature, infinitely more feeble and sad than the other, more terrifying, thing stumbles into view. She looks like she’s melting, you note, but there’s something about her face… You recognize something in her.   
  
“What happens when someone gives a Monster more determination than they can handle?” Flowey asks, and gestures to the creature as she stumbles forward, “That. You get that.”   
  
“Snowy…” You think hard, “Isn’t that… the name other kids call Snowdrake?” You remember Snowdrake. He wants to be a comedian, like his father. There was one night where he kept you hostage for over an hour, telling bad jokes and looking pleased with himself until Mopsy sent him home.   
  
“My… son?” The creature trills happily when you mention his name.   
  
“Oh.” You cover your mouth, “She’s…”   
  
“Yeah.” Flowey looks very uncomfortable when you step towards her. “Jeez, you are a softy, aren’tcha? Just- don’t touch her!”   
  
“Your son’s doing fine.” You whisper, ignoring Flowey in favor of Snowdrake’s mother.  “He just went back to school. I hear he’s planning on doing stand up with his dad someday.”   
  
“ _Sn...owy.”_ She sounds proud when she says that. You smile and take your phone out to pull up a picture. You angle it so that she can see it out of one drooping eye.   
  
“See? He’s, well, friends with my kid.” You tense when one melting claw loosely grasps your wrist. You jerk back when you realize you’re crying again. But, you didn’t do that? She shrinks back from you, looking sorrowful but thankful all the same.   
  
“ _Haha… thank.. you.”_ That said, she turns and hobbles away into another room.   
  
“The last key!” Flowey hisses. Startled, you look down and see that it’s true- there’s a blue key on the floor. “Great. now we can get out of here!”   
  
But as you reach down to take that last key, a large, lumbering figure pounces on you. “Oomph!” You gasp, looking up at what you can only describe is a horrific combination of dogs. It’s large, gaping face leans down and slobbers gunk all over yours. You gag and roll to your side, ignoring the creature as it whines curiously at you, pawing at your hip.   
  
When it hears the crackling of your chisps, the creature perks up and nudges you harder. So, it wants food, huh? Better the chisps than you! So you take the bag and fling it across the room, gasping in relief when it bounds after the treat.   
  
It’s not like the nightmare from the surgery room, or like Snowdrake’s mom. Despite it’s terrifying strength and size, it reminds you mostly of the dogs from Snowdin. Curious, happy, and desperate for dog treats.   
  
“Flowey.” You say, climbing to your feet.   
  
“Is it gone yet?” Your ribcage snaps back.   
  
“Get up here.” You order, and Flowey reluctantly emerges. “So, these are just Monsters that… melted?”   
  
“They melted all over each other.” Flowey confirms, cautiously looking over at the dogs, face contorted in disgust as it continues to slobber on the plastic bag. “Most are at least three monsters all melted together. That there’s a pack of dogs.”   
  
“Alphys did this.” You whisper. Flowey hesitates, but nods.   
  
“I don’t know about the first monster.” He says, “But she’s definitely responsible for the dogs, and that other pathetic creature.”   
  
“Did she… did she know what would happen?” You resist the urge to gag as the mass of dogs roll over a mysterious puddle of goo on the floor.   
  
“What does it matter, if she did or not?!” Flowey snaps, “This STILL happened!”   
  
“She’s been taking care of them all alone, hasn’t she?” You ask.   
  
“You’re impossible! Are you just going to forgive every bad thing that comes your way?! What can someone DO to make you turn against them?!” He rants, “Mass murder, playing God, screwing around with timelines- what, exactly, are they doing for you, to make you so loyal?”   
  
“Love.” The answer is simple enough, really, even though it shocks Flowey into silence. It’s the simplest answer you can think of. What else could describe all this time down here, if not the small collection of friends and family you now have to depend on?   
  
It’s not Alphys he’s ranting about, though. It’s Frisk. You know he’s still upset with them. You assume it’s about resetting so many times, but you’re not sure. Their shared history is long and complicated, and you’ve barely grasped the surface of it. Maybe one day, you’ll get one of them to tell you their side of the story. Until then, however…   
  
“Love, huh?” Flowey quietly says, “Can’t say I understand that feeling.”   
  
“Frisk loves you too, you know.” You inform the flower, who just sniffs and looks away.   
  
“Whatever. Don’t you have a scientist to find?” Okay. Conversation over, then.   
  
“Stay.” You snap at the dogs when they try approaching again, and they whine but sit back on their haunches. Sighing, you bend over and grab the key. When you start to leave the room, you hear mournful whimpers. You pause.   
  
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Flowey deadpans.   
  
“Heel.” You instruct them, and they let out a series of  excited barks that have your skull spinning before they’re right at your heels, ready to follow you.   
  
The three (or more, you’re not quite sure how many dogs are in that huge beast behind you) of you head back to the room full of beds. The dogs behind you perk up and bark for your attention. When you look over at it, they jerk their head towards a room that you didn’t visit before.   
  
“That’s not where the keys go, but, oh well, we’re heading in there anyway, aren’t we?” Flowey comments, then ducks underneath your sweater once again as you enter what looks like a botany lab. The dogs stay just beyond the doorframe, whining and ducking their head down to keep watch over you.   
  
“Why is this room full of buttercups?” You wonder, staring at the counter full of the yellow flowers. They look awfully like Flowey, you take note.   
  
“They aren’t buttercups.” Shit, you didn’t see Alphys there, all huddled up on the floor. “Those are golden flowers. The king keeps them in his throne room. They make nice tea. F-funny that you mention buttercups, t-though. A-asgore… he h-hates them.”   
  
“Alphys!” You breathe, falling to your knees beside her. “What in the world were you thinking? Undyne’s freaking out, did you know that?”   
  
“Hah.” Alphys says, finally looking up at you. You have to stop yourself from cringing at the sight of her red rimmed eyes. “I- I ca-can’t believe that’s the first thing you say… a-after seeing Endogeny over there?”   
  
“Is that their name?” You look over at the doorway, where their gaping face stares over at the two of you, and you’re not as creeped out by it as you think you should be. They’re just dogs, after all.   
  
“Y-yeah.” She sighs and leans against you, “A few years ago, after I got the job here, King Asgore ordered me to research a way to make artificial SOULs. The last royal scientist left blueprints for a machine that can… analyze SOULs and isolate a specific power from them… Determination.”   
  
“Determination.” You repeat, feeling Alphys shudder.   
  
“I hate that stuff. The will to keep living… The resolve to change fate.” Alphys says in a mocking way, “Hah. What a joke.”   
  
“How did this happen, Alphys?” You want to hear Alphys tell it, certain that Flowey didn’t tell you everything.   
  
“I took determination and gave it to Monsters who were in the process of falling down.” She immediately answers, “And everything worked out at first! But, then- Monsters, their physical forms can’t handle it. I didn’t know at the time… but a few days later, their bodies destabilized… and everyone started to melt together. And here we are today.”   
  
“Why keep this a secret?” You ask, wincing when you hear her cry.   
  
“W-what was I s-supposed to say?!” She wails, “S-so sorry, but your loved ones are n-now freakish abominations?!” Endogeny gently howls with her cries.   
  
“Ooookay…” You sigh, “I guess I can understand that.” Flowey jabs you in the spine, and you barely suppress a grunt of discomfort. Okay, so maybe you do tend to let things slide… but what else can you do? Condemn her for being scared? Make her feel more terrible than what she already feels?   
  
What’s done is done. Time to move forward.   
  
“I was just… preparing… to tell.” She sniffs, “W-working up my courage, mostly.”   
  
“... And is it worked up?” You ask. When she doesn’t answer, you elaborate, “Because, well, I know telling the truth is hard and all, but Undyne’s going to be on the warpath once she’s free. When they realize I’m gone too, so are Sans and Papyrus. And we still need to get the power back on.”   
  
“...Oh!” She shakily stands, then shyly offers her hands to you. Once you’re also up, she hysterically giggles, “I- I lost the keys! We’re going to have to look for them!”   
  
“I, uh, already have them.” You chuckle.   
  
“So, you, uh, saw a lot, huh?” She sheepishly asks.   
  
“...Kind of.” You keep hold of her claws, gently extending them to get a glimpse of her arms underneath her labcoat. Silly, you know. But it’s a habit from your time as a teenager- the humans in the foster system tended to be on the self destructive side, and there were little resources to really get them the help they needed. And as messed up as you were back then, you did your best to be supportive. Monsters, though… they harm themselves in other ways, ways that are way over your paygrade. You wouldn’t be able to see Alphys’ scars.     
  
“B-bones?” She nervously stutters, “W-what are you doing?”   
  
“Nothing.” You let her go, perturbed, and gesture towards the doorway. “Let’s get out of here, huh?”   
  
“Y-yeah.” Alphys says, patting Endogeny as the two of you pass through the doorway. The royal scientist walks slightly ahead of you, leading the way straight back to the waiting room. She hovers near the control panel, watching as you insert each key until the door unlocks, and she rushes forward, leaving you just outside for the moment.   
  
“Psst, Bones.” Flowey pokes at a rib. You stifle a giggle at the ticklish sensation. “Just, eh, don’t mention me to Alphys, okay?”   
  
“Okay.” You say, voice hushed. You weren’t going to anyway- at the sight of those flowers in the botany lab, you have a shaky grasp on other things that may have gone on down here. Maybe you’ll voice your suspicions later, when the timing is more convenient. “Thanks for keeping me company. I don’t think things would have gone well if I ran into that first one… alone.”   
  
“Yeah, yeah.” Flowey scoffs, “...You know, everything’s in place now, yeah?”   
  
“In place for what?”   
  
“The final showdown. The grand finale. Whatever you wanna call it, you’re finally going to see Frisk’s true intentions.” Flowey’s petals droop, “... I think it’ll be a good idea for me to disappear for a while. You won’t see me again until much later. So, I just want to say- Sorry. In advance.”   
  
“Flowey-” You’re cut off when the lights snap back on, bright and glaring. When your eyes finally adjust. the flower is gone.   
  
_The man is still gasping for air. You sit there, on the bed, utterly fascinated by the struggling rise and fall of his chest. There’s blood around his mouth- a vibrant red color that smells like pennies._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Humans are messy, stubborn creatures.” Impact stands beside you, hands shoved into the pockets of his old jeans. “Look at him. Shot him point blank and he still wants to keep breathing. Doesn’t even have the decency to turn to dust and make the clean up nice ‘n easy.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“A-ambulance…” The stranger slurs, his eyes slowly glassing over._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Ambulance?!” Impact barks out a laugh, “You come into this room, intending on kidnapping my kid, and you have the gall to ask for an ambulance? You’ve got some screws loose, dontcha?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“He’s an officer.” You quietly say, pointing to the badge right by his twitching left hand._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Someone with a badge is still a someone.” Impact says, “Doesn’t make ‘em good, kiddo. It’s a damn shame for his family, though. They won’t really know what kind of man he was.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“...Uncle?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Attacking Monsters. Pfft.” Impact’s face twists in distaste, “Lucky us, we know how to fight fire with fire. No magic damage? Then, obviously, this was a Human on Human crime. They’ll be looking for a human murderer, and we’re in the clear. Bones, get in the car. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _You didn’t think to question anything back then. But you know now that Impact basically erased every trace of your existence from that motel. Whether he snuck in and manipulated any cameras (doubtful, considering the ‘quality’ of motels you regularly stayed in, there probably weren’t any cameras), or just paid off the bored bellhop to lie for him, you don’t know._ _  
_ _  
_ _You thought you erased this memory. You haven’t thought about it for years. But the truth is, you were a child, and you witnessed another person’s death._ _  
_ _  
_ _And you still don’t know why._


	29. The True Lab Part 2

“How did this even happen?!” Alphys asks once you lead her back to the broken elevator. She ducks inside the small metal box, looking nervous and mystified, “It, well, it’s s-supposed to be impossible to b-break this!”   
  
You shrug, “No idea. I heard the cables snapping while I was going down. Had to levitate myself and the death trap down or who knows how many broken bones I might have gotten.”   
  
She turns to you, expression alarmed. “You- you’re not hurt, though?”   
  
“Nah. Just exhausted.” You yawn to emphasize your point, “I just want to go home and sleep.” You also kind of want to lock yourself in someplace soundproof and have a nervous breakdown. You kind of want to cry again. You kind of want to scream until your voice gives out.   
  
You weren’t having a good night.   
  
Endogeny happily pants beside you, vibrating in a way that Alphys says means they’re content. You try very hard not to look at them.   
  
“M-maybe you should sit down?” Alphys suggests.   
  
“Sure.” You lean against a wall, sliding down until you’re sprawled on the cold floor. The large creature whines at you, then plops down as well. Luckily, they seem to be respecting your boundaries about being slobbered on. That stuff is unlike any dog slobber you’ve ever seen, and, well, all your time spent in Snowdin? You  _ know _ what dog slobber is supposed to look like.   
  
“M-maybe I should c-call everyone, and t-tell them we’re alright… aaaaand I forgot my phone u-upstairs.” The royal scientist moans, banging her head against the elevator door, “I- I didn’t think I’d be d-down here for this long.”   
  
“We can make calls down here?” You question, and Alphys nods.   
  
“O-of course! This p-place is just as underground as everywhere else, after all.” She laughs.   
  
Hesitating, you reach for your own phone. It looks innocent enough, but you remember the abomination that used it to communicate with you and Flowey. Would it be able to find you again? What if it shows up and attacks you and Alphys?   
  
The phone rings and you flinch, dropping it on the floor besides you. Alphys rushes out of the elevator, expression alarmed. She looks from you to the phone, then gives you a small, understanding smile. “I, I can answer it.” She offers, and you gratefully nod.   
  
“H-hello? Sans?” Alphys answers. You watch as her face turns red, and she abruptly turns to face the other direction. “N-no! We’re fine! J-just, the power in the basement went o-out, and it t-took a little while to find the keys? A-also, the elevator’s busted. S-something cut the c-cables, but I can’t s-see the extent of the damage, I’ll have to t-take a better look later… O-oh? I- I didn’t mean to worry you guys so much.” She sighs, and turns back to you. covering one end of the phone with her hand. “He w-wants to speak to you.”   
  
You groan, but hold out your hand anyway. As soon as you place the device against the side of your skull, Sans asks, “please tell me you weren’t in the elevator when the cables were cut.”   
  
“House rules.” You nervously reply, and Sans sucks in an audible breath, “But I’m alright. Really.”   
  
“and the amalgamates?” Sans presses, “they didn’t try anything funny?”   
  
“Amal-a what?” You ask. Alphys gives you a questioning look that you ignore.   
  
“amalgamates.” Sans repeats, “the monsters that alphys hid from the us.”   
  
“You knew about them?” Sparing a glance at the multitude of dogs beside you, you wonder- should you be surprised? Frisk has come down here before. Combine that with the other skeleton’s note keeping abilities, of course he’d know.    
  
“yup.” You hear someone talking in the background, and Sans’ muffled response, before he addresses you again, “frisk says they told you not to do anything without them.”   
  
“Undyne wanted me to find her on the downlow.” You argue, feeling defensive. Besides, Frisk is the child here. Not you. Why is everyone treating  _ you _ like the babybones?   
  
“did undyne specifically tell ya that?” Sans asks, and before you can answer he adds, “because if she really wanted you to do this all secret-like, she would’ve told you. she doesn’t do subtle.”   
  
“Uhh…”   
  
“i’m heading over.” He sighs, “frisk too. might as well try to fix that elevator up, or we’ll never get those monsters out of alphys’ basement.”   
  
“Couldn’t you just… teleport them?” You cautiously ask.   
  
“I knew it.” Alphys hisses.   
  
“there’s a weight limit, and if my memory serves correctly, it’s no more than three dogs.”    
  
“Oh.” You say, watching as Alphys furiously twirls around in the elevator, pointing up at the panels covering the top. Flicking your wrist, the panels dislodge and she yelps as they almost fall on her.   
  
“what was that.”   
  
“Removed the elevator panels. Alphys wants a better look at the top. I should go help her.” You say, standing up.   
  
“we’ll be there in a few.” Sans hangs up, and you peer over at Alphys.   
  
“So- it is teleportation!” Alphys says, pushing the fallen panels over so that they rested against the wall, “I, I n-never thought to put a n-name to it!”   
  
“Was he keeping it a secret?” You ask, worried that you just gave away something you shouldn’t have.   
  
“N-no.” She shakes her head, smiling wryly, “M-more like, he would call i-it ‘shortcuts’ and use i-it to catch m-me off guard.”   
  
“He, uh, gives you a lot of grief, huh?” You look up at the open panel in the ceiling, not making anything out beyond a few feet. Snapping your eye lights on doesn’t help much either.   
  
“O-only when I really mess up.” Alphys wrings her claws together, looking worried, “He’s s-such an easygoing guy, but… well, you almost died, Bones. He’s… he’s always going to w-worry whenever we h-hang out together.”   
  
“Oh…” You’re not sure what to feel about that.   
  
“A-and he cares about me too.” The royal scientist sighs, “I just have a bad habit. Of pushing o-others away? A-and, I’ve maybe… done it to him a time or two? S-sans is patient, b-but, I know how t-tiring it is, to k-keep an eye on me… I’m surprised h-he still bothers to t-talk to me.”   
  
“aw, jeez. are we gonna need to have a heart to heart, doc?” You jump and almost knock your skull against the metal doorframe as Alphys shrieks in surprise. Turning, you glare at Sans, who is casually standing there with a smirk on his face. Behind him is a sullen Frisk. “because, i gotta tell you, as someone without an actual heart, it’s kinda tough to spill your guts. it takes a real spine of steel, a will of iron, a-”   
  
“You bonehead.” Frisk finally hisses at you. You stare, confused, as they stalk right up to you and  _ jump _ , wrapping their arms around your neck and legs around your hips like a monkey. You helplessly look over at Sans, who shrugs and gives you a look. “You could have been dead.” Frisk whispers, “You could have died down here and you weren’t answering your phone. I was about ready to throw myself into Hotland’s magma to get to my last save point.”   
  
“Shit, kid.” You gasp at the sudden surge of fear that flares through your SOUL and hug them closer. “Don’t you ever do that.”   
  
“I won’t.” They respond, “If you stop leaving me behind!”   
  
“Stars.” You mutter, and exchange another look with Sans, “My phone wasn’t working til just now. Otherwise I would have gotten in contact with you guys ages ago.”   
  
“R-really?” Alphys asks, “B-but, the power has n-nothing to do with the signal.”   
  
“Last time I tried to call someone, all I got was static.” You confirm, letting Frisk slide back to their feet. They grab at your hand, sliding their fingers between yours.    
  
“S-strange…” The yellow monster mutters, “I’ll h-have to see if I can replicate the issue.”   
  
“later.” Sans interrupts, “let’s fix this up first.”   
  
“I d-definitely need to see w-where the line was cut…” Alphys hums, turning back towards the elevator. Sans trails into the increasingly cramped area, hands in the pockets of his hoodie.   
  
“Bones…” Frisk tugs at your hand, “I need to talk to you.”   
  
You give them a questioning look and they give you a knowing one in return. Right. The royal scientist’s- Gaster’s, notes. You didn’t run into them while here with Flowey, but without the need to find Alphys, you can poke around a little deeper.    
  
“Hey, guys. Me and Frisk are going to get some snacks.” You announce to the other two, who are discussing something sciency and full of math.    
  
“don’t go too far. we should be done in a snap.” Sans replies.   
  
“We-we’re going to have to replace…” Alphys interjects.   
  
“yeah, i’ll go upstairs and grab what we need.” Successfully distracted, Sans returns to his previous task. You and Frisk escape to the waiting room, Endogeny at your heels.   
  
“I wasn’t lying, you know.” You watch as Frisk grabs a candy bar from the vending machine, “I did try to call you.”   
  
“I know.” Frisk says, unwrapping their treat, “All I got was static too. It was really scary.”   
  
“There was a creature down here. Not like the dogs, or Snowdrake’s mother…” You shudder, “It was terrifying.”   
  
“I know the one you’re talking about. The scary one that smells like battery acid.” They give you a knowing look, “I call them Memoryhead.”   
  
“Memoryhead, eh?” You comment, “That’s apt, though it smelled like copper to me.”   
  
“Copper?”   
  
“You know, like pennies?” You hesitate, then ask, “Did it… make you remember something bad too?”   
  
“Depends on your definition of bad.” Frisk laughs, “Before I was moved to Ebott, I was bullied by this other kid. When I finally asked him how can I get him to leave me alone, he dared me to lick a leaking battery. If I did that, he wouldn’t push me around again. So, I did.”   
  
“Kids suck.” You comment.   
  
“It tasted gross.” Frisk looks sick at the memory, “And the teacher called the ambulance and there was this whole investigation. They thought I was trying to hurt myself, no matter how much I tried to explain about the bully. Doctors, psychologists, social workers… they didn’t leave me alone, but weren’t listening either. So, I just stopped talking. Eventually they moved me to the group home here in Ebott. What was your memory?”   
  
“It’s… a bit more serious than yours.” You mumble. Frisk gives you a sharp look, and you know they won’t let you get away with not telling them something. “My parents died when I was little, but you knew that already, right?”   
  
They nod. “Right.”   
  
“So, then Impact- my dad’s father’s brother, took me in. But he wasn’t the type to settle in one place for long. He didn’t have a house, just a car. He’d rent hotel rooms for months at a time, working odd jobs here and there for extra cash. There was… one job.”   
  
“One job.” Frisk presses, eyes alert and interested. Like they always are whenever you tell a story. You’re not sure if it’s right to continue.   
  
“He had to leave me alone. For a few days.” You nervously swallow, then look away. “Shouldn’t we be looking for those lab reports?”   
  
“Bones!”    
  
“Right…” You sigh, “While he was gone, a human broke into the motel room. Not sure what he was after- from what I remember, he was a cop. So, maybe he just thought I was a runaway, or a victim of kidnapping. Something like that. Doesn’t matter now. Impact knew we were being followed. I knew too. I was scared, and didn’t know what to do. But Impact- he was waiting for that human. Used me like bait.”   
  
“What happened to the human?” Frisk whispers, and you can tell they already know what happened.   
  
“Impact had a gun.” You whisper, jaw tense, “He always had one on him, and for a time, I had one too. Said that a Monster using Human weapons is so unheard of, that defending ourselves with them is the best option. Easier to get away with things. It was weird, because at that time he was giving me that powder too. Ah- I’m changing the subject. Sorry.”    
  
“So, he shot the human?” They conclude, and you shakily nod, “Did… did he die?”   
  
“I don’t remember.” You lie, closing your eyes, “I just- he was bleeding a lot. And it smelled. Like-”   
  
“Copper. I’m sorry, Bones.” They frown up at you, “Makes my memory look kinda dumb.”   
  
“Your’s isn’t dumb.” You argue, “The foster system’s rough, kid.”   
  
“Yeah.” They say, shoulders slumped, “You know, when I first fell down here, I thought that maybe Toriel could adopt me. And for every run after that, she’d be the one I called ‘Mom’. But, now, I’m not so sure anymore. I kind of want Sans, or Papyrus, or, well…” They nervously laugh, “You. To adopt me. And we’ll all stay together just like we have been.”   
  
“One step at a time, Frisk.” You wearily sigh. Don’t bother telling them that a homeless monster’s chance of adopting a human child is zero. If there’s a way to bring the mood down further, that’s it.   
  
“Did you find anything while you were down here?” Frisk asks, thankfully changing the topic.   
  
“A name.” You suddenly remember. “Gaster. Some gray monsters kept popping up all around the place, and said that the last royal scientist’s name was Dr. Gaster.”   
  
“Gray monsters?” Frisk furrows their brow, “I came across them once or twice. Never got a name. One said that he ‘fell into his creation’ though.”   
  
“Alphys told me…” You remember, “That he basically created the core. So, he fell into the core?”   
  
“Man…” Frisk whistles, “That must’ve been terrifying.”   
  
“I can’t even imagine.” Scratching at the crack under your eye, you ask, “So… should we look for those reports?”   
  
“Yeah…” The child throws the rest of the candy bar into Endogeny’s face. Judging by the vibrations, they seem very happy about this. “I have an idea where to look first. Did you see that machine?”   
  
“The DT Extractor?” You recall, and Frisk nods.   
  
“There is a room right by it. Lots of files. I think we have time to go through them.” They grab your hand once again and together you make your way to this room you missed.    
  
The lab down here is a lot less creepy when all the lights are on. While it’s certainly not a cheery place, the atmosphere is noticeably lighter. The monitors, you note, are still full of static though. You figure Alphys cut their feed a while ago.   
  
There are more amalgamates mingling about. You spot a very tall one wandering around. It looks like it’s about to approach, but Endogeny growls and it gives you space. “Good dog.” You mutter, cringing when they vibrate back at you.   
  
“They don’t mean any harm.” Frisk gives you a judgemental look.   
  
“Imagine, if you will.” You reply, “Coming across a living, breathing, human being that is half melted and stuck together with two other half melted human beings.”   
  
“Okay… So maybe they’re kinda creepy.” The human admits, shrugging. “I guess I never thought about how I’d react, if there were humans melted together like that.”   
  
The DT Extractor is still there, inactive and silent. Snowdrake’s mother isn’t anywhere to be seen, and you’re kind of glad for that. You’re not sure you can deal with her again. Frisk lets go of your hand to veer towards a door you didn’t notice before. They open it easily enough, then beckon you over.    
  
There are definitely files strewn about. But that doesn’t get your attention. Instead, you spy an old fashioned television set sitting against the back wall. VHS tapes are stacked next to it, labels old and faded. On closer inspection, you see that most of them are old cartoons, but there is one that’s simply labelled ‘Family Memories’.   
  
“Frisk, what’s on this?” You ask, grabbing it.   
  
“Put it in the VCR.” They quietly reply, “It’s hard to explain.”   
  
You do so, watching the screen flicker on but remain black, save for the time and date displayed on the corners. It’s a cam recording, then. Someone forgot to take the lens cap off. You hear familiar voices coming from the speakers, and you flush when you realize it’s the king and queen.    
  
“This was before their son was born. Asriel, right?” You murmur, frozen in place. Frisk nods, picking up a file and going through it.    
  
You silently listen as the tape moves on to who you assume is Asriel, with the other child, Chara. Chara must be the human. The one Asgore talked so forlornly about. The two of them were close, you realize. As thick as any brothers can be. It makes it even more heartbreaking, to listen as they plan out their own damn suicide. All just to free the underground. It makes you wonder just what human children are made of, for the ones after to travel the underground and face the king…    
  
Determination is one hell of a drug.   
  
_ “Chara… Please… wake up. I don’t like this plan anymore.” _ Why is that voice so familiar? You blink back tears and shut the television off.    
  
“The first time I came across those tapes, I had no idea what to make of them.” Frisk glances over at you, a grim look on their face. “It took a couple of resets to realize what I was hearing. But you already know what happened, huh?”   
  
“Me and Sans… we didn’t tell you what happened the night of the puppy shower, did we?” You muse.   
  
“I was waiting to get you alone.” Frisk fidgets, “Sans isn’t one to talk much about bad things with me.”   
  
“I’m surprised.” You laugh, “Considering he, uh, kind of knows where I came from now?”   
  
“Wait, really?!” Frisk gasps, “But- how?!”   
  
“He caught me hanging out with Flowey in the Judgement Hall.” You explain, “Freaked him out. Then I freaked out. And then, I just… blurted it out.”   
  
“Why were you even in the palace?!” Frisk frantically waves their arms in the air, “And with Flowey?!”   
  
“Anyway, that’s not the point.” You dismiss their question, “The point is, before that, I found the coffins Asgore keeps in his basement-”   
  
“Oh my god.”   
  
“AND,” You glare at the child, “We talked. He told me about his kids, and what happened to them. And watching this… It’s like hearing a different side to the story. Asriel really didn’t want to go through with it, did he?”   
  
“Chara…” Frisk shakes their head, “They pressured Asriel, yeah. But I’m pretty sure they regret it. And they hope that one day, Asriel might forgive them.”   
  
“Kind of hard to do that, when both of them are dead.” You reply, raising a brow when Frisk only shrinks into themselves. “What’s with that guilty look on your face? Something tells me you know something.”   
  
“House rules!” Frisk blurts out, “I don’t wanna talk about it now!”   
  
You can only chuckle at this. “Did Sans explain why I said that over the phone earlier?”   
  
“...Yes?” They blush. “I’m not lying if I say I don’t want to talk about it, right?”   
  
“Right.” You confirm, then take note of the recorder in their hands. “What’s that?”   
  
“Dunno.” They look down at the device, “It looks just like the one Alphys uses to record her reports.” Without further ado, they press a button, and a soft, masculine voice comes from it.   
  
_ “Entry number seventeen,”  _ The voice pauses, and you can hear the sound of papers being shuffled, “ _ Dark, darker, yet darker. The darkness keeps growing. The shadows cutting deeper. Photon readings negative.”  _ He clears his throat. You can hear a tapping noise in the background- the sound of skeletal fingertips drumming against wood. “ _ This next experiment. Seems. Very. Interesting. What do you two think?” _ The device stops before you can hear anyone answer.   
  
“So he’s somewhere dark?” You ask, and Frisk groans.   
  
“This didn’t tell us anything.” They frown, placing the recorder back on a shelf. “I guess I’m going to have to find another way.”   
  
“We.” You correct them, “I’m kind of invested in this mystery now too. And the next step I would take? The core.”   
  
“You’re right.” Frisk sighs, “The core... “   
  
“That’s for another night.” You yawn, “I don’t even want to know how long we’ve been down here.”   
  
“Papyrus is gonna be mad.” The child checks their phone, “It’s gonna be morning soon.”   
  
“Where is he, anyway? I thought he’d join you and Sans.”   
  
“Grillby distracted him.” Frisk laughs, “I never knew how dorky that guy actually is. I usually just order food from his place and that’s that. Makes me wonder what other monsters I missed getting to know…”   
  
“Well,” You nudge the kid towards the door, “You have all the time in the world to get to know them now.”   
  
Meanwhile, Sans is staring at the end of a cut cable in disbelief. When Alphys explained what happened to the elevator, he was half expecting some wear and tear that needed some patching up. Not for the cables to look almost brand new. Strong and sturdy, there’d be no way for them to break on their own.    
  
He’s not the type of skeleton to jump to conclusions, but he’s pretty sure the cables have been cut on purpose.    
  
“alph.” He mutters, peering down from the top of the elevator. Alphys nervously looks up at him. “anyone have access to this place besides you?”   
  
“W-well, the king, obviously.” She answers, “I, um, also never took you o-off. A-and, Bones i-is o-on the p-permissions list so he can always bypass m-my security. B-but none of you would do t-that!”   
  
“yeah, i know.” He clicks his teeth together in frustration, “someone cut this, knowing whoever uses it next is going to get a rough ride. notice anything when you went down?”   
  
“N-no.” The royal scientist slumps, “I- I was here since e-early this morning though. S-so, they must’ve done it…”   
  
“while you were down here.” Sans finishes, “well, there isn’t much i can do. we’re going to have to get a team down here to replace the entire thing- who knows if there’s anything else that was tampered with…”   
  
“I- I didn’t think of that!” Alphys cries out.   
  
“for now, have the dogs guard the elevator.” He shortcuts next to Alphys, only slightly put out when she doesn’t jump in surprise, “and i’ll bring whatever supplies they need down until it’s safe to get everyone out of here.”   
  
“I’ll see if I can find anything on the s-security feeds.” She mutters, mind already set on finding an explanation for this.    
  
“Any luck?” Sans jumps, choking on air when someone leans on him from behind. He only calms when he recognizes your arms wrapping around his shoulders. “You alright there?” You breathe against the side of his skull, barely restraining your laughter.   
  
“the hell, kid?” He snaps, flushing when he hears you and Frisk cracking up. “now’s not the time to be rattling my bones.”   
  
“Consider it revenge for scaring poor Alphys all the time.” You nuzzle against him, “Can we go back now? I’m sleepy.”   
  
“it’s almost dawn.” Sans grumbles, closing his eye sockets, “yeah, we should get out of here.”   
  
A second later, you’re standing on the first floor, and you finally feel like you can breathe again. Frisk seems to feel the same way, if the look of pure relief on their features are any evidence. Alphys heads towards her desk almost immediately, but Sans catches the end of her sleeve with a disapproving frown.   
  
“go to sleep.”   
  
“B-but, what if-” Alphys protests, then shrieks when the front doors begin to slide open, then burst inwards as Undyne slams through. There’s a furious look on her face, and with dread you realize that you forgot to call her.   
  
“WHAT’S GOING ON?!” She roars, only stopping to look over Alphys, who seems frozen in shock. “Are you okay?!”   
  
“I-I’m fine!” Alphys squeaks as the guard captain surges forward, wrapping her arms around the smaller monster and lifting her in the air.   
  
“I was WORRIED, you dork!”    
  
“as you have every right to be.” Sans yawns, “there’s been a possible security breach in the lab downstairs.”   
  
“There’s a downstairs?” Undyne asks, caught off guard.   
  
“yeah. important sciency stuff. real important research. we got a few monsters guarding the place right now, but we need a team to repair the elevator. real engineers this time, and not some interns.” Sans raises a brow at Undyne, “what?”   
  
“You still work here?!” She blurts out, “Wow! I never suspected… I mean, I know you kept your old uniform and all, but STILL, that’s like, four jobs now?!”   
  
“technically five,  _ if _ i was still a scientist here.” Sans shrugs, “but, hey, if that gives me another couple of breaks to add to my workday, i’m all for it.”   
  
“U-undyne, you can put me down now.” Alphys asks in a tiny voice.   
  
“Let me have this, Alphys.” The fish monster replies, then looks back at Sans, “I think, if there really is a security breach, that my girl here shouldn’t be alone. So she’ll be spending the night- er, rest of the day, with me.”   
  
“Oh my god.” The royal monster blushes.   
  
“good idea.” Sans is agreeable enough, “we can regroup later, after we all get some sleep.”   
  
“Right. I’ll grab a few people to check out the area too.” Undyne nods, then looks over at you, “Hey, thanks for checking up on Alphys for me!”   
  
“No problem.” You smile as the tough woman hugs her girlfriend just a bit closer.    
  
Plans set in place, you are finally back in Snowdin. Or, to be more specific, the living room.    
  
“AND WHERE HAVE THE THREE OF YOU BEEN?!” An irate Papyrus is there to greet you, with Grillby sitting on the couch in the background with a pipe in his mouth.   
  
“paps, i told you- i was picking up bones.” Sans explains as you begin to trudge up the stairs. The taller skeleton grabs your upper arm however. stopping you.   
  
“FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT TIME IT IS?!” Papyrus demands to know, “DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED GRILLBY AND I WERE?!”   
  
_ Very. _ Grillby agrees, blowing on the pipe. Bubbles fly into the air.   
  
“is that my bubble pipe?” Sans asks.   
  
“DO NOT CHANGE THE TOPIC, SANS.” Papyrus glares, “I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.”   
  
“and i in-tendon to tell you, but after we get some shut eye.” Sans grins, “i gotta tell ya, i can sleep like the dead right about now. and kiddo’s got school in a few hours, so unless you think they need a break...”   
  
“THEY’VE ONLY BEEN TO SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY!” Papyrus rages, then points at Frisk, “TINY CHILD, GO TO BED AT ONCE!”   
  
“Y-yeah, okay!” Frisk darts upstairs immediately, leaving the adults alone.    
  
“undyne’s gonna get a team together.” Sans sighs once Frisk shuts the door behind them, “to investigate a possible break in at alphys’ lab. that’s where we were.”   
  
“IS SHE OKAY?!” Papyrus gasps, all of his righteous anger vanishing in an instant.   
  
“everyone’s fine, bro.” The shorter skeleton wearily rubs at his eye sockets.   
  
“I went downstairs using the elevator.” You freely admit to Papyrus, “Someone cut the cables. Had to levitate myself down. If it were Alphys instead of me…”   
  
“NYEH!” Papyrus whines in distress and, using the hand that’s still wrapped around your arm, tugs you against him. You sigh as he hugs you, eye sockets drifting closed.   
  
_ I can close the bar and lend a hand. _ Grillby softly offers before blowing more bubbles from the pipe.   
  
“nah, grillbz. thanks, but it’s probably gonna be pretty boring. whoever did it must be long gone by now.” Sans shakes his head.   
  
“AGREED.” Papyrus protectively mutters.    
  
“You just don’t want him near just in case there is any trouble.” You giggle at him, feeling loopy from staying up so long.   
  
“WHA-” He sputters.   
  
“You’re the overprotective boyfriend.” You sing song, Grillby’s growing amusement spurring you on.   
  
“AND THIS ONE IS GOING TO BED TOO!” Papyrus declares, swooping you up in his arms. “ONE MOMENT, PLEASE.”   
  
As Papyrus takes you upstairs, Sans turns to Grillby, smirking at the elemental. “you know what you’re doing, right? dating papyrus basically means dealing with us too.”   
  
_ I’ve been dealing with you for years.  _ Grillby points out.  _ I think I can manage. _ He blows bubbles in Sans’ general direction.   
  
“give me that.” Sans snarls.   
  
  



	30. Where Sans is Up Early For Once

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who just worked through a ten day work week? This one did!
> 
> Also, Sans is totally that guy who will walk in while you're on a date with someone and casually join in. Sometimes, he'll even do it on purpose.

Papyrus is sleeping soundly in his cool racecar bed, with his two charges cuddled on either side of him, and he is dreaming. Not of becoming the king, or the captain of the royal guard, or even of the warm beams of heat that he has heard Sans once call ‘sunlight’ dancing on his bones. Oh, no.   
  
_ He is dreaming of walking through the forests of Snowdin. And he knows it’s a dream. Of course he does, for you see, he is wearing his battle body. And he hasn’t worn that in a while. But, right now, it is there, on his figure, crisp and clean and new.  _ __   
__   
_ It is snowing, but not much. Just enough to make the ones more sensitive to the cold avoid going outside. If what he has heard is correct, they are the lucky ones.  _ __   
__   
_ There is a human on the loose.  _ __   
__   
_ They were hurting monsters. _ __   
__   
_ As per protocol, Papyrus already sent word to Captain Undyne. She should be heading to Snowdin at any moment. He should meet her there. _ __   
__   
_ But… _ __   
__   
_ The human is hurting monsters. _ __   
__   
_ They must be scared, and confused. Maybe even hurt. More than likely, they think they are defending themselves. Papyrus knows that it must be scary, being all alone. Sometimes, when one doesn’t know what to do, they lash out. But it’ll be okay. Surely, if he manages to track down this stray human, the Great Papyrus will be able to talk some sense into them! _ __   
__   
_ A figure steps forward. Papyrus has to squint, but he makes out the blue sweater they are wearing. He does not recognize the small form, nor can he discern their intentions. There’s nothing but a blank expression on their face. Even their eyes- they shine like glass. Pretty, but emotionless.  _ __   
__   
_ “HALT!” Papyrus calls out. The human, it has to be the human, hesitates, then takes a step forward. “HEY! QUIT MOVING WHILE I’M TALKING TO YOU! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAS SOME THINGS TO SAY. IT SEEMS, YOU ARE GOING DOWN A VERY DANGEROUS PATH. BUT THAT’S OKAY! I CAN HELP YOU! EVERYONE CAN BE A GREAT PERSON, IF THEY JUST TRY. JUST- LET ME HELP YOU!” _ __   
__   
_ If Papyrus had any nerves, they’d be wracking by now. This is dangerous, so very dangerous. Even if the human accepts his offer, what can he do, other than give them to Undyne? And with the dust of innocent monsters on the tiny one’s hands, there is no way for anyone to trust the human to walk free. And on top of that… _ __   
__   
_ Papyrus grits his teeth and remains in position, even as the human takes another step towards him.  _ __   
__   
_ The human’s fate is sealed. Sure, he lets his brother go on, unaware that he knows exactly why the king needs humans. There’s no need to shatter his innocent visage, if it makes Sans happy. And his dear brother rarely finds reason to be happy… _ __   
__   
_ There’s a flash of light, and the skeleton sees the knife in their opponent’s hand. So, that is their chosen weapon. _ __   
__   
_ “I SEE.” Papyrus finds himself saying, “YOUR PATH HAS BEEN CHOSEN THEN. STILL, I BELIEVE, WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING… HUMAN…” _ __   
__   
_ They are suddenly close. Too close. Papyrus doesn’t bother summoning his bones. Instead, he finds himself wishing for his brother to be at his side. Sans would know what to do, in this situation.   _ __   
__   
_ The knife shines with a supernatural light.  _ __   
__   
_ “I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU.” Papyrus says just as the knife descends upon him. _   
  
Papyrus wakes up quietly, but terrified. Briefly panicking when he finds himself unable to sit up, he only calms when you turn on your side to fling an arm around his hips, snuggling closer. On his other side lies Frisk. Their back is to him, silent and still like they usually are. Papyrus will never understand how they can do that. He has always tossed and turned during the night.    
  
It was a dream, the skeleton knows this. But it felt… SO REAL. He doesn’t understand. How can his mind conjure Frisk into the very image of a killer?   
  
A brief look at the clock on his desk tells him it’s almost time to get up. The human has school in a few hours. They need to get ready. He and Sans need to get ready too. Papyrus has to check in with the dogs, make sure everything’s set with them before he can go to the doctor’s lab. Sans has to go to The Capital, and borrow a few technicians from the smaller lab over there, in order to repair the elevator. After that, they can help the monsters that lay down there reunite with their families.    
  
He wonders if Dr. Alphys is truly alright. From what Sans has told of what happened… it must have been terribly lonely, to shoulder such guilt and responsibility.    
  
You mutter something indecipherable, but your SOUL is warm against Papyrus, and he has to smile at that. You have come a long way, from needing constant support and comfort to lending some of your own. And not even what your uncle did to you has sullied the caring, gentle individual you naturally are.   
  
Papyrus happily sighs, the memories of his nightmare fading away. He even thinks, for a moment, of just letting everyone sleep in today. Surely, whatever repairs that are needed can be done a little later? And what in the world are they learning in school on just the second day?    
  
The younger skeleton finds himself hugging you just a bit closer and closing his eyes again. Perhaps, later this evening, he can pay a visit to Grillby, and attempt to get more physical affection from him. Papyrus never would have guessed how shy the bartender actually is. It’s very endearing, and… attractive? To Papyrus, at least.   
  
He stirs when the door creaks open and Sans pokes his head inside. His brother’s eyes are wide with disbelief as he stares at the sight before him. “bro, are you seriously still asleep? c’mon, we have work to do.”   
  
Papyrus snorts, covering his teeth with one hand in order to muffle the giddy giggles that want to escape. Stars, when was the last time Sans lectured  _ him _ about sleeping in?! As far as he remembers, that was when the younger skeleton was still in school! And Sans… Sans was already interning under the royal scientist. What was his name again?   
  
Odd. He can’t seem to recall.   
  
“yeah, yeah. laugh it up.” Sans rolls his eyes, but his grin becomes wider and all that more genuine, and it occurs to Papyrus that his brother is recalling good memories too. “listen, i gotta go to the capital and grab some techs to deal with the elevator. think you can take care of things while i’m gone?”   
  
“NO KIDNAPPING.” Papyrus warns him.   
  
“i’m not kidnapping anybody.”   
  
“FINE. THEN DO NOT TAKE MONSTERS, AGAINST THEIR WILL, TO ALPHYS’ LAB. IS THAT BETTER?”   
  
“considering that asgore just approved my request… this is less ‘kidnapping’ and more ‘surprise reassignment’.” Sans winks.    
  
“IF YOU SAY SO. DO NOT FORGET TO PICK UP UNDYNE AND DR. ALPHYS AS WELL.” Papyrus reminds his brother, and just like that Sans is gone.   
  
Well, he’s totally awake now. No use trying to get more sleep. It takes a little imagination and his superior flexibility, but Papyrus manages to wiggle out of bed without waking Frisk or you up. That accomplished, the tall skeleton prepares for his usual routine- pick up the discarded clothes off the floor, organize his bookshelf, take out his chosen outfit for the day, turn off his computer- Wait.   
  
His computer is on? Frowning, Papyrus wiggles the mouse until the screen flickers. He lets out a groan of dismay when he sees the chaos that is Sans’ desktop. He must have used it sometime yesterday, and forgot to log off. There’s a window, minimized. It’s a powerpoint. A chill goes down Papyrus’ spine.   
  
Sans is making a powerpoint. He only does that when he thinks he has to explain something complicated. It helps organize his thoughts, except he usually gives up once the actual slideshow is done, and makes Papyrus sit and read through the whole thing instead of presenting it. Sometimes he’ll answer questions at the end.   
  
Papyrus isn’t the brightest flashlight in the drawer. He knows that. But, he couldn’t help but notice that, since the ‘bad night’ you and Sans had, something has been off. At first he thought it is just because the two of you managed to connect that night, and the newfound intimacy has shaken you both. But then, things settled, and the two of you seemed much more relaxed around one another. And he has observed  _ at least _ three occasions where all Sans has to do is  _ look _ at you and you know what he’s saying.    
  
Should the younger skeleton be jealous? Of course not. Sans needs more than just the Great Papyrus, even if he is very great. It is, in fact, a relief that his brother has found another to lean on. Burdens are less heavy when shared, after all. But, well, he’s going off tangent. The point of these thoughts is this: Whatever Sans wants to explain to Papyrus. you must know about it as well. Is it your secret, though? Or one of Sans’?   
  
It is very tempting, to bring that powerpoint up and read through it. It would definitely save a lot of time and stress on everyone’s part. But Papyrus will not invade the other’s privacy. They’ll tell him when they are ready. Instead, in a display of amazing willpower, he logs Sans off.   
  
It is a good thing that no one witnesses this mature response, as the very next thing he does is lunge at his bed, flopping on top of you with a resounding cry of “BONES!”   
  
“What the frack?!” You yelp, and end up kicking Frisk’s leg.   
  
“Oh my god.” Frisk groans, curling up into a little ball, “Would you two grow up?”   
  
“I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT YOU AND SANS ARE HIDING!” Papyrus childishly demands, completely disregarding the mature decision he made just moments ago. It isn’t his fault patience isn’t one of his better traits.   
  
“W-what?!” You stammer, eye sockets growing wide. Aha! A guilty look if there ever was one! “What gave you that idea?”   
  
“SANS IS MAKING A POWERPOINT.” Papyrus triumphantly points out, “I CAN ONLY ASSUME THE TWO OF YOU ARE UNSURE AS TO HOW TO BEST TELL ME WHATEVER SECRET IT IS YOU ARE KEEPING. BUT! I ADVISE THAT IT IS BEST TO JUST BLURT IT OUT. NOW, PREFERABLY.”   
  
“I think Sans wants it done… a certain way.” You weakly reply as Frisk continues to groan about the early hour.   
  
“PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME SIT THROUGH ANOTHER POWERPOINT.” The taller skeleton looks pained, “THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED, SANS WAS EXPLAINING DEATH TO ME AND I HAVE NOT QUITE FULLY RECOVERED FROM THAT.”   
  
“Death?”   
  
“YES. OUR PET ROCK DIED AND SANS DID NOT KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT.”   
  
“But isn’t your pet rock over there?” You point in the general location of downstairs.   
  
“NO, THAT IS SIR IGNEOUS THE THIRD.”   
  
“What happened to the second?”   
  
“IT RAN AWAY.” As you contemplate how a rock can run away, he feels it important to add, “SANS MADE A POWERPOINT FOR THAT TOO.”   
  
“Tell you what.” You mutter, “Tonight. We’ll tell you everything tonight. After everything with the lab is done. I can only take one thing at a time right now.”   
  
“DO YOU PROMISE?” Papyrus ask.   
  
“Yes.”   
  
“PINKY PROMISE?” With a groan, you extend your pinky finger and Papyrus entwines it with his.   
  
“Just… give me another hour, would ya?” You grab Papyrus’ pillow and hug it to your chest, already dozing off again.   
  
“LAZYBONES.” Momentarily appeased, Papyrus looks over at Frisk, who is very likely not going to like what he says next, “MY APOLOGIES, HUMAN, BUT YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO GO BACK TO SLEEP RIGHT NOW.”   
  
“Why?” Frisk asks.   
  
“YOU HAVE SCHOOL.” He has to bite back a laugh when the child shudders, “COME NOW, YOU ENJOYED YESTERDAY’S CLASS, YES?”   
  
“I’m tiiiired.” Frisk complains.   
  
“THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.” The chipper skeleton tells the human child, “WHEN ONE DECIDES TO GO EXPLORING A SPOOKY LABORATORY ON A SCHOOL NIGHT. COME NOW. ACTIONS DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES, HUMAN.” For whatever reason, Papyrus feels uneasy after he says this. Like he’s warned Frisk about this before. He shakes this thought off before turning to select the child’s clothes for the day.    
  
Over at Undyne’s house, Alphys wakes up with her snout buried in red hair. She doesn’t recognize it as hair at first, so she has a mild panic attack, but once that’s done she figures that, hey, this is pretty nice. Snuggling with the new girlfriend really is all that she dreamed of, even if Undyne… snores. A lot.    
  
Not everyone is perfect.   
  
Well, she’s awake now. Might as well make breakfast before they go back to the lab, right? But just as Alphys is about to sit up, Undyne reaches out and grabs her in a headlock. “U-undyne!” She gasps.   
  
“Where’d ya think you’re going?” Undyne grumbles before blowing hot air on Alphys’ neck.   
  
“Eeeep!” Alphys blushes, “W-we gotta go back to the l-lab, a-and-”   
  
“Mhhmm.” Undyne wickedly grins, “But we gotta wait for Sans to get us down to the basement, And knowing that lazy guy, we’ve got a while before that can happen.”   
  
“R-right.” The smaller monster swallows, “S-so, do y-you want to w-watch… anime?”   
  
“I mean, we CAN do that.” Undyne hums, “Or, we can…”   
  
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod...   
  
“SNUGGLE!” The captain of the guard declares.   
  
Oh… god?   
  
“Snuggling sounds… kinda nice.” Alphys shyly accepts.   
  
“HECK YEAH!” Undyne whoops and leans down, perhaps to give a smooch? But then someone knocks and opens the door without waiting for an answer.   
  
“this is like the world’s worst joke.” The royal scientist hears Sans comment, “am i really the only one, out of all of us, up early?”   
  
“GET OUT!” Alphys yells as Undyne gives the short skeleton an unimpressed glare.   
  
Twenty more minutes of cuddling, followed by several phone calls to the various families that belong to the amalgamates, and Sans is dropping the two off in front of the broken elevator and promptly disappearing again.    
  
“I wonder about that guy sometimes.” Undyne says, slightly jealous of his magic teleporting powers. Eh, her spears are cooler. “Spooky lab, by the way. Totally cool.”   
  
“I- I think he’s just excited.” Alphys mutters, pulling out her phone, “H-he worked here before I w-worked here, you know. A-and thanks? I guess?”   
  
“Yeah, I read his resume.” The fish monster shrugs, “He was kinda like an intern?”   
  
“M-more than that!” The royal scientist gasps, “H-he is so smart! I-if he wanted, he could’ve been the next r-royal scientist. B-but… I think something h-happened to him, to m-make him m-move away from the capital.”   
  
“Hmph.” Undyne frowns, “Well, if he really is a genius, then he’s way good at hiding it!”   
  
“U-undyne!” Alphys admonishes, but giggles anyway. She looks down at her phone, frowning.   
  
“Something’s up?” Her girlfriend asks.   
  
“I-it might be nothing…” Alphys stammers, “B-but, then again…” Huffing, she checks the backup logs, Nothing;s there either. “O-oh. That’s not good.”   
  
“What?!” Undyne demands, leaning over Alphys’ shoulder. She pauses, however, when a growl erupts further down the hall. “What was that?!”   
  
“I-it’s probably j-just-” Groaning, Alphys has to grab Undyne’s wrist to keep her from throwing a spear at the towering mass of dogs heading their way. “Endogeny.”   
  
“Those…” Undyne gapes up at them, “Those are the dogs?! All of them?!”   
  
“Y-yeah.” Alphys turns her head away in shame.   
  
“No wonder you kept going through all that dog food.” Undyne forces out an uneasy laugh.   
  
“I-it’s okay, Endogeny.” Alphys reassures the quivering mass of canines, “A- a lot of monsters are coming down h-here today. I-if all goes well… you’ll be g-going home too.”   
  
Undyne watches as the dogs bark, then says, “I’m kinda glad we explained everything to their families first, but who knows how prepared they can actually be… for that.”   
  
“I know.” Alphys miserably replies, “I- I don’t e-expect forgiveness. But. I can only h-hope everyone will be happy in the end.”   
  
“Hey, you did your best.” Undyne sighs, patting the royal scientist’s head, “No one is going to blame you for trying to SAVE their relatives. You didn’t know.”   
  
“I shouldn’t have played god.” She shakes her head, “I- I know the king was desperate for another way, b-but that’s no excuse! A-after this is over, though, I’m going to bring up another way to improve our lives down here.”   
  
“Oh yeah? What way’s that?”    
  
“S-so far, we’ve only dug out a f-few areas of the mountain. I w-was thinking, maybe we should start expanding. W-we’ll need a team of excavators, b-but that’ll only give monsters more jobs. I-it can only help.” Alphys explains.   
  
“heh, that’s a pretty good idea alph. i can really dig it.” Sans comes out of nowhere, followed by a team of three nervous looking mouse monsters. “alright guys, for now we need this elevator up and running. look over absolutely  __ everything. ”    
  
“Weren’t we just somewhere else?” One asks.   
  
“we’re not paying you to ask questions.”   
  
“You’re not paying us at all.” They all sigh in unison.   
  
Undyne glares over at them, wickedly smiling when one stumbles back in fright. “Get to it, this is on the king’s orders. We have to get this place up and running, pronto!” That said, the small team immediately begins to work.   
  
“Sans.” Alphys gets the skeleton’s attention, “Where are-”   
  
“bones is still sleeping. my bro’s heading over once he’s done checking up on things.”   
  
“Didn’t I give him the day off?” Undyne wonders.   
  
“S-sans.” The short scientist says again, “I- I looked at the s-security feeds. Y-yesterday’s is missing.”   
  
“what?” Sans turns his head towards a crew member, who is blatantly eavesdropping. One glare and they slink back towards the elevator, grumbling. “you are absolutely sure about this.”   
  
“I- I looked everywhere! E-even the backups. E-either the cameras f-failed, or s-someone deleted the tapes.” Alphys sighs, fiddling with her glasses, “A-and down here… w-when the power went out, the g-generator only kept the emergency l-lights on. S-so, there’s no footage d-down here either.”   
  
“well ain’t that convenient.” Sans mutters, lost in thought.   
  
“You have an idea about who did this, don’t you?!” Undyne accuses.   
  
“nah.” Sans waves her off, “and even if i did, i got the feelin’ nothing’s gonna come of it anyway.” Still, just to sate his curiosity… he’ll have a chat with you. Later.   
  
Stars does he hate flowers.


	31. This Entire Chapter Takes Place in Papyrus' Bedroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus learns some stuff and you have a disturbing dream.

_ You’re in a study of some sort. Shelves, from floor to ceiling, surround you, absolutely stuffed with books. A fireplace is on one side, with a large, lumpy armchair sitting besides it. There is a fire crackling in there, but you can’t feel heat coming from it. As a matter of fact, it’s kind of cold. The floor itself looks like wood, but when you approach one of the shelves, your footsteps are muffled. Like you are walking on carpet. _ __  
__  
_ A brief look at one of the shelves tells you that every book here is written in hands. Math, philosophy, science, ancient poetry… a very large variety is contained here. But when you slide a leatherbound book off the shelf, the title describing ancient prophecies and legends, and open the cover, the pages are… blank? Frowning, you flip through the pages. Not one word. _ __  
__  
_ Letting it fall to the floor, you take another book. This one concerns alchemy. The first few pages have text, handwritten in ink. But the rest are blank as well. You take another book. Then another. And another. _ __  
__  
_ All of them, in some form or the other, are blank save for a few random pages here and there. How odd. _ __  
__  
_ “Over the course of… how many years, was it? I’ve forgotten a great many things that were written in these books.” A familiar voice speaks. Turning, you see no one. “Do not bother. As of right now, we are sharing a brief link between SOULs. I wish to speak with you one last time.” _ __  
__  
_ “I don’t think we’ve spoken before.” Despite the panic you feel, your voice is calm. No point in freaking out- especially when you see that this room you are in has no doors. Shit. Concentrate on breathing. In, out. In, out. “There’s no air in here!” You shriek, voice cracking, and the other voice sighs in exasperation.  _ __  
__  
_ “There are more important matters to attend to.” He dryly tells you, “Must I remind you, as a skeleton, you have no need for air?” _ __  
__  
_ “Who are you?! Why am I here?! Where is here?!” You demand to know, lashing out with your magic. Books fly off their shelves. The armchair rattles in place. Your display of power effectively does nothing. _ __  
__  
_ “Your magic is purple. How fascinating.” The voice chuckles, “Tell me, are you aware of the theories surrounding magic and SOUL colors?” _ __  
__  
_ “Not really.” You find yourself circling the room, trying to find a switch, a hidden door, something. _ __  
__  
_ “Human SOULs come in a variety of different colors, each one reflecting a core aspect that they value most. Curiously, the SOULs we have now… Not one is the same color as the other. All we’re missing is ‘red’...” The voice trails off, “A monster’s magic tends to do the same thing. That is, when we’re not using a specific type of magic. Gravity magic, for example, will always turn a SOUL blue. Healing magic will always be green. Yellow always resembles lightning-” _ __  
__  
_ “Okay, okay.” You sigh, “I’m not exactly here for a lesson about magic, am I?” _ __  
__  
_ “I am attempting to calm you. Is it working?” _ __  
__  
_ “NO!” You yell. _ __  
__  
_ “...Purple is considered ‘perseverance’.” The voice observes, “In spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement… you continue. You do not give up. You are the wind eroding mountains and developing canyons over the course of a millennia. A subtle, but unrelenting force of nature. Poetic, is it not?” _ __  
__  
_ “Not really.” You reply, poking at the armchair. It’s as hard as a rock. _ __  
__  
_ “You are also the goat that keeps trying to headbutt a two ton boulder across his pasture,” He adds, “The old dog that stubbornly refuses to learn new tricks. The child who, despite many warnings, continuously stuffs metal utensils into electrical sockets-”   _ __  
__  
_ “Oh, wow. Now you’re just trying to make me blush.” Kicking at one of shelves, you shout, “Now let me out!” _ __  
__  
_ “Calm yourself. This is only temporary. Contacting another in this manner is very. Tiresome.” He sounds weary. “I will get to the heart of the matter. I have repeatedly sent my shadows to the human child. They only continue to ignore me. And so, when it was discovered that they confided in you as well, I sent a few to you. Ah, I must apologize. One of them thought it best to give you a scare on the way down.” _ __  
__  
_ “That was the one who messed with the elevator?” You can’t help but ask. _ __  
__  
_ “Yes. Again. My apologies.” Sighing, he adds “But my intent remains the same- the two of you should cease this foolish attempt to ‘help me’.” _ __  
__  
_ “You’re Dr. Gaster.” You finally realize. _ __  
__  
_ “Yes.” _ __  
__  
_ “And you’ve been watching Frisk.” _ __  
__  
_ “Correct.” _ __  
__  
_ “And, somehow, you think that I’ll be able to stop them? Since when do they let anyone stop them when they’re determined to do something?” You snort, “Just spending a minute with this kid will tell you that.” _ __  
__  
_ “I will not debate you on this.” His voice is firm. You watch as fire trails outside of the fireplace. “Consider this your final warning.” _ __  
__  
__ Flames shoot towards you.    
  
“HOT HOT HOT!” You yelp, and promptly fall out of bed.   
  
“woah there, buddy. where’s the fire?” It’s Sans. But- isn’t he supposed to be at the lab? Looking at the clock, you note that it’s almost noon.   
  
“Inside of my skull.” You finally reply, slumping back against the floor. A skeletal hand brushes against your brow and you have to laugh, “I’m okay. Weird dream.”   
  
“death by...?” Sans raises a brow at you, looking down at you.   
  
“Fire? I think.” You try to concentrate, but the memories are slipping away fast.    
  
“heh. unintentional punnery at its finest. sorry. that human gang seems to be very… creative. when it comes to killing you.” The shorter skeleton observes.   
  
“Yeah.” You shake your head and try to clear your mind. At least this nightmare didn’t leave you a panicky mess, especially without Papyrus here to help calm you down. A sign of further progress? Maybe one day you can finally spend a night or two by yourself again.   
  
“you with me, pal?”   
  
“Yeah. I’m good. What’s up?” You pull yourself back on the bed, legs curving over the edge and feet planted on the carpet. “Thought you and the others would still be at the lab.”   
  
“not much to investigate. undyne’s there, guarding alphys. and the dogs are keeping an eye out too, but apparently there is no one down there that shouldn’t be.” Sans’ eyes are half lidded, but you can tell he is keeping a careful watch on you. “so i thought i’d check up on you.”   
  
“I have a suspicious feeling that you want to ask me something.”    
  
“the weed.”   
  
“Flowey?”   
  
“the weed.” Sans repeats, jaw slightly clenched, “seen him around lately?”   
  
“Why? Something happened?” Is Flowey okay. That’s what you want to ask. But you have a feeling Sans wouldn’t like to hear that.   
  
“alph tells me that the security tapes from yesterday have been erased. like the monster who cut the cables knew to keep their tracks covered. and the only monster i know who is even capable of attempted murder is-”   
  
“Flowey was with me the entire night.” You firmly interrupt the other skeleton. He falls silent and stares incredulously at you. “Including when the elevator fell. He screamed pretty loudly too. So, even if he did erase the tapes- it isn’t because he tried to kill me. What is your beef with Flowey, anyway? What did he do?”   
  
“...” Sans lets out a heavy breath and sits down besides you. “before frisk came down here, i’m pretty sure flowey was the one messing around with time.”   
  
“Flowey could reset?!” You should have known. He knows enough about how resets work, and even remembers them.    
  
“not anymore, i don’t think.” He pauses. “just… be careful around flowey, yeah? he’s done a lot of bad things over the years.”   
  
“So this whole time traveling stuff happened before Frisk?” You ask as Sans yawns and shifts just a bit closer to you. “Hey, don’t go to sleep on me now.”   
  
“yeah. the weed really liked to mess with people. broke couples up. staged accidents. set things on fire. killed a few monsters. you know, stuff that you’d do if you ever went mad with power.”   
  
“Hm.” You think on that. “Do you think… that happened to Frisk? When they killed?”   
  
“it’s possible. i doubt they’ll ever ‘fess up and tell us though.” He slumps a bit more against you.    
  
“You woke up way too early today.” You laugh and push him until he falls sideways on the mattress. He grabs your arm and drags you down with him. You go willingly enough, collapsing next to the shorter skeleton. To your amusement, he turns his back to you and scoots so that you’re effectively spooning him.   
  
“think i’m gonna nap until paps gets home.” His eye sockets are already closed.   
  
“Oh.” You hesitate. That reminds you… “Papyrus saw that you were making a powerpoint.”   
  
“oh.” Sans replies.    
  
“He demanded to know what it was about. I… I said we’d tell him later tonight.” You confess, expecting him to be mad or something. But he just lets out a resigned sigh and shifts until he’s slightly more comfortable.    
  
“okay. frisk is sleeping over at monster kid’s tonight. that’ll give us enough time to go over everything.”    
  
“Why didn’t they text me?” You ask, feeling a bit left out until Sans pats your arm.   
  
“you needed to sleep in. late night, remember?” With a soft grunt he turns over and loops his arms around your neck. “take a nap with me.”   
  
“I just woke up.” You protest, then freeze when he strokes the back of your neck. “You ass.”   
  
“this will never cease to amuse me.” Sans comments as your eyes flutter closed. Once your breathing is slow and steady, and your body is limp, he stops to tuck his skull underneath your jaw.   
  
Too many things are changing, and he’s painfully aware that, as of right now, he’s flying blind. Frisk is going to school, and, stars, they’re living under the same roof as him! Alphys is planning on expanding the underground to help fit the growing population, and isn’t that something else? Not once has that been brought up, not since the core was created. Despite the potential problems that will come, because of course there will be problems, he finds himself feeling excited. It’s like he wants to involve himself in this project and work with Alphys again. He hasn’t had a feeling like this since…   
  
And there are monsters on the surface. They aren’t fighting humans, but living alongside them. There’s peace up there, and he is, of right now, clinging to the being that proves this.    
  
Would helping Alphys with the expansion mean he’s accepting that he may never see the sun again? Sans would like to think not- he’s just being realistic. Who knows what Frisk has up their sleeve. The kid always seems to have some sort of plan. He’ll just have to wait and see, right?   
  
Keep an eye socket out for the kid. Continue helping you. Accept what happens. Besides, sometimes it’s better to just take what’s being given.    
  
Crap. He’s going to have to tell Papyrus everything. How is his little bro going to react? The powerpoint isn’t even done yet! Maybe he should-   
  
“I thought we were napping.” You drowsily comment, startling Sans.   
  
“we are.”    
  
“I can probably hear your thoughts all the way in Hotland.” When Sans doesn’t reply, you continue. “Let me guess. You want to finish the powerpoint.”   
  
“kinda.”   
  
“Hah. Nerd.”   
  
In the end Sans does get up and immediately starts typing away on Papyrus’ desktop. You stay sprawled in bed, but with a book in one hand and your phone in another, randomly texting Alphys for updates. Once she confirms everything Sans told you, you end up focusing more on your book. And that’s how Papyrus finds the two of you later that evening.   
  
“I TRUST YOU BOTH HAD A PRODUCTIVE DAY?” The tall skeleton asks, brow raised as he strides into his room. Sans looks over at him and cringes. “SANS?”   
  
“uhhh…”   
  
“I WILL GIVE YOU TIME TO GATHER YOUR THOUGHTS.” Papyrus sighs, then turns to you. “MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT WAKING YOU AFTER YOUR ADDITIONAL REQUESTED HOUR. IT’S JUST- YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU NEEDED TO REST SLIGHTLY MORE.”   
  
“It’s fine.” You murmur, watching as Sans takes out his phone and pulls out a familiar looking notebook. “Sorry for making you wait for answers, but this secret of ours is kind of a double whammy.”   
  
“think you can tell yours first?” Sans asks, taking out a highlighter and flipping through pages. You frown at him. Is he delaying talk about the timelines? Well… you guess it’s kind of more to take in than your part in this whole story…   
  
Papyrus frowns, perhaps thinking the same thing you are, but turns to you expectantly. You pat the mattress and the taller skeleton takes a seat besides you.   
  
“A thousand years ago,” You begin, and Sans gives you an incredulous look that you ignore. It’s best to tell it the way you’re used to- with the story of The Mountain King. “Two races ruled over the land: Humans and Monsters. They lived in peace and prosperity. But one day, a war broke out. No one really remembers why, as all written records have been destroyed. But we do know this- the Humans won.”   
  
“I AM FAMILIAR WITH THIS TALE, BONES.” Papyrus comments, “BUT I FAIL TO SEE WHERE YOU ARE GOING WITH THIS.”   
  
“Give me a minute, okay? So- Monster Kings and Monster Queens back then would fight in battle alongside their people. And the Monster King was the fiercest fighter of them all! Even so, Humans found a way to take advantage of that. One day, he and his Queen were captured right by the base of Mt. Ebott while their own King was safe and sound in another kingdom. They were executed the same night they were captured,”   
  
Papyrus frowns as Sans pauses in his movements, eye sockets focused on you. You haven’t told him, really, what Monsters were taught about the war on the surface, did you?    
  
“BUT- THE KING IS ALIVE AND WELL DOWN HERE?” Papyrus asks, confused.   
  
“When news of the king and queen’s death reached the others, all Monsters that weren’t captured by the human army fled.” You sigh and close your eye sockets. “The more furry of the bunch, like those in Snowdin, fled to the harsh, frozen land of the north. The reptiles fled to the sunny, tropical rainforests of the south. The skeletons… heh. The skeletons went to the desert, and eventually founded Oasis.”   
  
“OASIS?”   
  
“It’s exactly what it sounds like.” You chuckle, “A large oasis, right in the middle of the desert. As the centuries went by, it eventually became one of the largest Monster populated cities in the world.”   
  
“A VERY INTERESTING TALE.” Papyrus comments, “THERE IS TRAGEDY IN THE BEGINNING, BUT ALL SIGNS POINT TO A GOOD ENDING. VERY MUCH LIKE THOSE BOOKS YOU ENJOY READING.”   
  
“Yeah, some story alright.” You laugh, scratching the back of your neck. “Coincidentally, Oasis City also happens to be where my parents were born- Sans, would you stop that?!” He’s already scribbling away in the section of his notebook that’s all about you. Normally you’d find this creepy, but… You can’t blame him. Even if this isn’t the best moment to start taking notes.   
  
“I SEE.” Papyrus quietly says. You watch as he processes your words, face contorting with disbelief, contemplation, thoughtfulness, sadness, and then… understanding? All in all, this takes maybe ten minutes. All the while you are staring at him, afraid that the big lug is about to start sobbing like his brother did. Sans is… Sans still highlighting things and frantically squinting at the computer monitor. He is kind of reminding you of a college student that’s trying to do a last minute project. “THAT ‘BAD DAY’ YOU AND SANS HAD… IT WAS CONCERNING THIS.”   
  
“...Yeah.” You are startled when the other skeleton slings an arm around your shoulders, tugging you closer for a half hug.   
  
“I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE SUN BEFORE.” He muses, “SO I GUESS I CAN’T REALLY MISS IT ALL THAT MUCH. BUT… YOU HAVE HAD IT ALL YOUR LIFE. I CAN NOT IMAGINE WHAT DIFFICULTY YOU MUST BE FACING, BEING DOWN HERE…”   
  
“the other monsters up there don’t even know what really happened. we were just forgotten down here.” Sans bitterly says, and the younger brother irritably sighs before grabbing the shorter skeleton and tugging him close too.   
  
“NONSENSE.” Papyrus firmly says, “I AM SURE, IF THEY KNEW, THEY WOULD DO THEIR BEST TO HELP US.”   
  
“Both monsters and humans tend to avoid Mt. Ebott because of our shared history.” You explain, “And, well, there’s a local legend about the lost SOUL of the king that haunts the mountain and… steals the SOULs of anyone wandering around up there?”   
  
Sans snorts and covers his mouth. Papyrus huffs and says, “WELL, I GUESS THEY ARE ONLY HALF RIGHT?” Sans chokes. “REALLY, SANS. IN THE SPIRIT OF HONESTY, I GUESS IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT I ADMIT SOMETHING AS WELL. I DO, IN FACT, KNOW WHY THE KING NEEDS THE FALLEN HUMANS BROUGHT TO HIM.”   
  
“there’s no hiding anything from you, bro.” Sans coughs.   
  
“Frisk and I fell into the ruins while running away from some bad people.” You continue to explain, “And after I left the ruins, I came here. You, uh, know the rest.”   
  
“YOU SAID THAT THIS SECRET OF YOURS IS A… A ‘DOUBLE WHAMMY’?” Papyrus asks, pausing to nuzzle the top of Sans’ head. “WHILE I AM NOT SO FOND OF YOUR SLIDESHOWS, BROTHER, I AM PREPARED TO PLOUGH THROUGH IT.”   
  
“the slideshow’s a bust.” Sans resignedly says, “i ended up making one on the biology of snails. it’s a total slimeshow.”   
  
“SANS.”    
  
“but i have this.” Snapping his fingers, the notebook flies off the desk and lands in his hands. Sans flips it open. “i highlighted the important stuff.”   
  
Papyrus gingerly takes the notebook, and with an encouraging nod from his brother, begins reading, and it only occurs to you now that he knows hands too.   
  
You wonder if Impact would have ever taught you the language if you hadn’t asked? Sure, the older skeleton was pretty smart, and never thought twice about keeping you educated. Despite the crap he pulled over the years, he loved sharing knowledge. But hands isn’t exactly common nowadays. Only the more traditional skeletons still used the language.    
  
“How did you and Papyrus learn hands?” You mutter to Sans, who looks surprised, then thoughtful for a moment.   
  
“before our folks abandoned us, they taught me. i taught papyrus.” He mutters, “huh. haven’t thought about them in years.”   
  
“They abandoned you?” You question, and Sans shrugs.   
  
“i guess so? lived with them until i was like, ten. one day we were visiting the capital and we got separated. never saw them again.” He shifts uncomfortably. Papyrus reads on, absorbed in Sans’ notes. “and, considering how we’re all stuck under a mountain, it’s kinda hard to lose your kids unless you really try. i took the hint, and raised my bro by myself.”   
  
“Must’ve been tough.”    
  
“sure. way tougher than getting poisoned by our evil uncle.”   
  
“Totally.” You nod, ignoring Sans’ sarcasm.   
  
“WOWIE.” Papyrus finally says, making you and Sans jump. “SO, THOSE DREAMS WEREN’T JUST DREAMS? AND, THE HUMAN…?”   
  
“i know, deep down, the kid is mostly good.” Sans assures his brother, “but they made a lot of mistakes.”   
  
“OBVIOUSLY.” Papyrus scoffs, “AND I SEE THAT YOU’RE MISSING ONE TIMELINE. THOUGH, I GUESS YOU WOULDN’T REMEMBER IT.”   
  
“...what?” Sans asks, confused.   
  
“THE ONE WHERE THE HUMAN HURT YOU FIRST.” Papyrus closes his eye sockets, shaking his head. “ANYWAY- AFTER THIS ONE…” He flips to a page, and Sans winces. “THEY HAVEN’T HURT A SINGLE MONSTER SINCE. THAT WAS… QUITE A FEW ‘TIMELINES’ AGO, YES? I AM SURE THEY LEARNED THEIR LESSON.” His voice is strained. Sans can hear it too, because a second later you see him patting Papyrus on the shoulder.   
  
“HOW… HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO REMEMBER SUCH SPECIFIC DETAILS?” Papyrus finally asks after a few moments of silence. “I CAN BARELY REMEMBER MY DREAMS, SOMETIMES.”   
  
“i write them as they happen.” Sans explains, taking the notebook back. “and save them in my workshop. for whatever reason, the resets won’t erase anything in there.”   
  
“Frisk told me about them maybe a day after I arrived here.” You quietly add, “I didn’t know what to believe, at first. But I started getting those nightmare… memory dreams. Don’t know how else to explain how I know what turning to dust might feel like.”   
  
“SHOULD ANOTHER RESET OCCUR, I WANT THE BOTH OF YOU TO PROMISE ME- YOU WILL NO LONGER KEEP ME IN THE DARK.” Papyrus swallows, “I DO NOT WANT TO… LOSE WHAT I HAVE NOW, BUT IF I KNOW WHAT I LOST, THEN MAYBE I CAN FIND WAYS OF GETTING THEM BACK.”   
  
“bro..”   
  
“EVEN IF I HAVE TO BE THE FIRST TO WOO GRILLBY, OR INTRODUCE UNDYNE TO THE SPLENDORS OF COOKING LINGUINE.” Papyrus stands up, posing dramatically, “I DO NOT MIND! NYEHEHE!”   
  
“you’re so cool, bro.” Sans says in admiration, and you nod along. You didn’t know what to expect, but Papyrus is taking it all in stride.    
  
“I WISH TO MAKE MY OWN NOTES.” Papyrus turns to Sans, “AND FOR YOU TO STORE THEM SO THAT THEY WON’T GO AWAY.”   
  
“yeah, that sounds good with me.” The shorter skeleton slumps, watching as Papyrus rummages in his drawers to pull out paper. “frisk probably isn’t gonna do anything anytime soon. want to get some rest and get your thoughts in order?”   
  
“HOLD ON! I JUST WANT TO PUT DOWN SOME VERY IMPORTANT THINGS FIRST!” Papyrus starts scribbling on the sheets.   
  
Hours later, nestled in bed between you and Sans, Papyrus lays awake. And he finds that he does, in fact, mind.   



	32. Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My take on how a non-possessed Frisk would do a genocide route. And Papyrus gets more information that he may or may not want to know.

_Papyrus is acting peculiar._ Chara notes one morning, a few days after spending the night with Monster Kid. They didn’t want to bring this to Frisk’s attention at first, but Papyrus has been acting… different. Since they got back. A little stiff when he embraced them. A smile that’s a bit too strained when Frisk shows him a finished piece of art. Something’s wrong.  
  
Frisk pauses, a spoonful of cereal just inches away from their mouth. _He’s always being peculiar. You’re going to have to be more specific._  
  
_He has been observing us._ Chara isn’t displeased by this. Just perturbed. They’ve always admired the tall skeleton for his boldness. His certainty. His love for carbohydrates. It’s almost painful to see the cheerful young skeleton distancing himself. _All the while he has that weird expression on his face. Like something’s wrong._  
  
Frisk shifts their eyes to where Papyrus is sitting, just inches away from them on the couch. There’s a mug in his hands that they’re pretty sure is coffee. Ever since Grillby introduced him to different foods and drinks, he has been experimenting with different flavors, each with their own levels of success. This particular drink, Frisk notes, smells very strongly of peppermint.  
  
“hey, bro.” Sans calls. Papyrus and Frisk turn their heads to see the short skeleton by the doorway. You are standing beside him, hands in your pockets. You’re already shivering.  
  
_For someone who dislikes the cold so much._ Chara states. _He sure likes to spend copious amounts of time in Snowdin._ __  
__  
_Well, this is our home. For now, at least._ Frisk shrugs.  
  
“YES, SANS?” Papyrus asks.  
  
“we’re gonna practice blue magic some more over by the forest. wanna tag along?” Sans carefully watches his brother, waiting for a response.  
  
_Sans is being active. Too active._ __  
__  
_Sounds like you just want to see things that aren’t there._ Frisk sighs. _You know how he gets when he worries about Papyrus. He’s just trying to cheer him up._ __  
__  
_And why does Papyrus need cheering up? See! Even Sans noticed his odd behavior!_  
  
_We have more important things to do._ Frisk reminds their smug other half. _Like how to get to the core, and what to actually do once we’re there._  
  
“I THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER, SANS. BUT…” Papyrus trails off and darts a glance at Frisk, who frowns with sudden discomfort. “I WISH TO ADDRESS SOME THINGS. IMPORTANT THINGS. THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.”  
  
“Want us to stay?” You ask, brow raised. There’s a knowing look in your eyes that is raising Frisk’s hackles. Since when did _you_ know more about things than them?! That’s… That’s so not fair!  
  
“NO, I BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL BE MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE IF DONE SOLELY BY THE GREAT PAPYRUS.” The tallest skeleton hums.  
  
“If you say so.” You grab Sans by the back of his hoodie, dragging him out the door before the older skeleton can ask anything else.   
  
_No, Bones, don’t leave me._ Frisk mentally begs.  
  
_He doesn’t have telepathy, remember?_ Chara snorts, then startles when Frisk starts standing. _Where do you think you’re going? It’s obvious that Papyrus is finally going to come out with whatever’s bothering him._  
  
“I want to come!” Frisk exclaims, voice shrill. “Maybe if I get my coat fast enough, I can catch up with them!”  
  
“HUMAN. SIT DOWN.” Papyrus admonishes, “YOU KNOW DARN WELL THAT I WISH TO SPEAK WITH YOU.”  
  
“Wha- did I do something wrong?” Frisk asks, shuffling their feet. When Papyrus says nothing and just points at the seat the child just vacated, they sigh and sit back down.  
  
“FIRST- ARE YOU COMFORTABLE? DO YOU NEED ANOTHER BLANKET? PERHAPS AN ACTION FIGURE? A DOG TREAT?”  
  
“We still have dog treats?!” They can’t help but ask. You hid them all once you discovered their stash under Papyrus’ bed.   
  
_You’re disgusting._ Chara sneers.  
  
“ALAS.” Papyrus sighs, “I AM DELAYING. OBVIOUSLY. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT SUBJECT. BUT ONE THAT MUST BE DISCUSSED. OUT IN THE OPEN. WITHOUT OTHER, _NOSY_ , SKELETONS EAVESDROPPING.” That said, the tall skeleton conjures a bone and throws it through the window. Glass shatters, and Frisk can hear you and Sans yelping in surprise. “YOU TWO! GO PRACTICE YOUR MAGIC. NOW!”  
  
“We’re going to need to fix that.” Frisk faintly says. Papyrus gets up and looks out the broken window.  
  
“NO CAUSE FOR WORRY, TINY HUMAN. WE HAVE SPARE GLASS IN THE GARAGE.” Satisfied that the two skeletons are gone, Papyrus turns back to Frisk, expression serious. “CERTAIN… FACTS. HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT.”  
  
“Facts?” Frisk carefully asks, mind going blank.   
  
_Crap. What did they tell him?!_ Frisk frantically asks Chara.  
  
_He knows everything. Quick, abort mission! Reset!_  
  
_Chara, you are not helping!_  
  
“I HAVE HAD TIME TO PROCESS THESE FACTS.” Papyrus continues, “AND YET EVEN MORE TIME WAS SPENT CONNECTING THESE FACTS TO WHAT I REMEMBER. JUST SO THAT I COULD BE AS CERTAIN AS POSSIBLE. DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY THINK, HUMAN, I DO GIVE A LOT OF THOUGHT TO THINGS OF IMPORTANCE. MY PUZZLES, MY ASPIRATIONS, MY… FAMILY.” He gives Frisk a sad smile. “FAMILY… IT MEANS A LOT MORE THAN THOSE WHO ARE RELATED, WHETHER BY BLOOD OR BY MAGIC. AT LEAST, I THINK IT SO. WHAT DO YOU THINK?”  
  
“...Yeah. It means a lot more than that to me too.” Frisk agrees, shrinking back into their seat.   
  
“IT MEANS HAVING A CLOSE CONNECTION TO SOMEONE YOU ADMIRE AND VALUE GREATLY. FOR A LONG TIME, THAT MEANT MY FAMILY WAS SANS. AND THEN, MORE RECENTLY, IT BECAME SANS AND UNDYNE. AFTER THAT, YOU AND BONES WERE ADDED. THEN I STARTED DATING GRILLBY, AND I SEE… A GREAT FUTURE! WHERE ALL OF US CONTINUE TO VALUE AND ADMIRE EACH OTHER FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.” Papyrus pauses, taking in the fear on Frisk’s face. That’s the exact opposite of what he wants, but it’s too late not to continue now. “WHICH IS WHY, I THINK WE NEED TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES. I FEAR THE ONE ABOUT HONESTY IS NOT ENOUGH ANYMORE.”  
  
“Okay…” Frisk mumbles.  
  
“OF COURSE, IT STILL STANDS THAT WE ALL MUSTN’T LIE TO EACH OTHER.” Papyrus reminds the child, “AND THAT WE SHOULD FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SAY WHEN WE NEED HELP, OR THAT SOMETHING NOT SO GOOD HAPPENED. SO! IN ADDITION TO THAT, SHOULD ANY OF US, _SOMEHOW,_ ENDS UP WITH THE POWER TO CONTROL TIME… IT IS AGREED BY SANS, BONES, AND ME, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIMPLY RESET JUST TO GET OUT OF A DIFFICULT SITUATION.”  
  
“But-” Frisk starts, and Papyrus shushes them.  
  
“THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DISCUSSION ON THIS! IT IS NOW RULE NUMBER TWO, THAT IN ORDER TO LIVE IN THIS HOUSEHOLD, NO ONE SHOULD MESS AROUND WITH TIME.” He triumphantly crosses his arms, “AND, SEEING AS HOW YOU HAVEN’T STARTED THIS DAY OVER YET, YOU AGREE?”  
  
“Uhh…”   
  
“OR… IS THIS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE’RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION?” Papyrus’ brow furrows, “OH MY GOSH, THIS IS GOING TO  BE CONFUSING, ISN’T IT?”  
  
“Papyrus!” Frisk shouts, “This is the first time we’ve had this conversation, I promise! And… And I haven’t done that. Since I arrived here.”  
  
“OH. THAT IS NICE TO HEAR.” The skeleton hesitates and gives Frisk a questioning look.  
  
“So, yeah. I agree.” Frisk sighs, startling slightly when Papyrus crouches before him so that they were more eye to eye.  
  
“NOW THAT THE GROUND RULES HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED AND AGREED TO…” Papyrus sadly sighs, “I MUST ASK YOU. WHY?”  
  
Frisk can play dumb. Papyrus’ question can mean literally anything. But, they have the feeling that dodging this will greatly disappoint the skeleton. He knows what the child did. There’s no way, if Sans and you saw fit to fill the third skeleton in on this whole situation, that they didn’t talk of the darker timelines.   
  
_He knows. And isn’t condemning you._ Chara says. _I think it is safe to speak freely._  
  
_I haven’t even told Sans about this._  
  
_Sans has never asked._ __  
__  
“Because…” Frisk clears their throat, “I- oh… I don’t know how to explain it…”  
  
“THEN START WITH THE FIRST TIME.” Papyrus instructs, “WHY DID IT HAPPEN THE FIRST TIME?”  
  
“There… was a nice lady that lived in the ruins.” Frisk chokes out, “At least, I thought she was nice. But when I said I needed to get out of the ruins, she tried to stop me. She attacked me with her magic. And I didn’t know what to do…”  
  
_“You want to leave so badly?” Toriel’s voice is deadly calm as she stands in front of the only exit that Frisk knows of. Her body is tense, a far cry from the warm welcoming aura she radiated when they first met. For the first time since they fell, Frisk feels fear._ __  
__  
_“I have to. I need to go home!” Frisk cries out. But they’re lying. There is no home to go to. All they know is they can’t stay in these ruins forever. They have to get out._ __  
__  
_“Hmph.” Toriel closes her eyes, and when she opens them again, fire erupts from her paws. Frisk takes a wary step back. “You are just like the others. There is only one solution to this… Prove yourself… Prove to me you are strong enough to survive!”_  
  
_Frisk defended themselves the only way they knew how._ __  
__  
_“Hee hee hee. I hope you like your choice.” Frisk pauses and Flowey pops out from the ground, a sinister grin on his face. “After all, it’s not as if you can go back and change fate. In this world, it’s killed or be killed. That old hag thought she could break the rules. She tried so hard to save you humans. But when it came down to it… Hee hee. SHE COULDN’T EVEN SAVE HERSELF. WHAT AN IDIOT!”_ __  
__  
_“I didn’t want to hurt her…”_ __  
__  
_“And why not? After all… she did try to hurt you first. What, you think you’re somehow above everyone else? Hate to break it to you… but you’re just as much below the ground as everyone else around here. You’re not different. You’re not special. You’re just another little human, here to die. Unless… you continue as you are. Pretty soon, you’ll see. My way is the right way.”_ __  
__  
_But Frisk didn’t want it to be that way._ __  
__  
_Back then, they didn’t know what they could do, so it happened in a flash- One minute there was dust on the ground, and in the next, the child is once again standing there in the living room, looking over at a reading Toriel with watering eyes._ __  
__  
_“My child? ...Why are you looking at me like that? Like… you have seen a ghost.”_  
  
“I went back as soon as I realized what I’ve done, and found another way.” Frisk finishes.  
  
“AND THE NEXT TIME?” Papyrus pushes.  
  
“I don’t remember, exactly. I only knew the first because- it was the first time. I… I never thought I’d be capable of it. And that’s how it started. I can _do_ things and _restart_ if I didn’t get the desired outcome.” Their hands curl into fists. “At first, I didn’t hurt anybody. All I did… All I did was relive encounters, conversations. I wanted to know everything there was to know about the underground. And then, one day, the barrier was broken and…”  
  
“WE WERE FREE.” The skeleton whispers, “I REMEMBER DREAMING ABOUT A GIANT, FLYING BALL OF FIRE AND-”  
  
“Sans told you it was called the sun.” Frisk sadly smiles, “That should have been the last time. But I wanted more.”  
  
“MORE? OF WHAT?”  
  
“Of everything. I knew how to do everything so perfectly that it wouldn’t take any time at all to get to the castle to meet with Asgore. But, then, I began wondering. What would happen if I did… things different. If, If I-” Frisk shakes.  
  
“I… SEE.” Papyrus shifts uncomfortably.  
  
“And it’s true, you know.” The child whispers, “The more you do it, the easier it gets. It’s like… something is taking over you. Overriding your kindness, your morality. Everything just became obstacles to overcome. I lost myself, Papyrus. And before I knew it, everyone was gone, and I almost lost my chance to get everything back.”  
  
“SO YOU RESET AGAIN. WHY DIDN’T YOU SET US FREE DIRECTLY AFTER THAT?”   
  
“There’s someone down here, who is hurting a lot over what they’ve done. Over what I’ve done.” Frisk sighs, “And, I keep trying to find a way to save them.”  
  
“OH.”   
  
“Please… stop looking at me like that. Like you understand.” Frisk desperately laughs and tugs at their sweater sleeves. “Because I’m just now starting to realize that maybe, just maybe, I can’t save them. And… it isn’t fair, to keep doing this to everyone else, for just one person.”  
  
“HUMAN… FRISK.” Papyrus sighs and leans forward until their foreheads are touching. “THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THINGS TO ME. ALL OF THIS… IT IS SO COMPLICATED AND TIRESOME. NO DOUBT YOU MUST BE VERY WEARY, AFTER EXPERIENCING IT ALL FIRSTHAND.” Then he feels compelled to add, “AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO SAVE SOMEONE YOU HOLD DEAR. EVEN IF THEY FEEL THEY DO NOT WANT, OR DESERVE, YOUR ASSISTANCE.”  
  
“I’m sorry.” Frisk clamps their arms around Papyrus’ neck. The skeleton freezes for just a moment, the memories of a knife slicing through bone replaying in his mind, before he shakes off that terrifying thought, and hugs the child back. “This is the last one. We’ll be on the surface again, for real this time. Please believe me.”  
  
“HUMAN,” Papyrus indignantly snorts, “I’VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN YOU.”  
  
Still, when you and Sans finally come back later that afternoon, Papyrus has to reassure them with a broad smile and a thumbs up. Even then, you end up giving him a hug and nuzzle. Sans just gives him a knowing look. Papyrus is gratified to see that his brother, despite this entire situation, looks exponentially more relaxed and at ease than he did several weeks ago.  
  
But the youngest skeleton finds himself feeling a little restless, and tired. Tired in a way that meant he wouldn’t be able to concentrate or do anything productive for the rest of the day.    
  
“I’M GOING TO GRILLBY’S.” Papyrus announces, and, boy, it is kind of funny seeing Sans choke on his ketchup like that. Maybe this is why his brother enjoys riling Papyrus up so much?  
  
“boy, how time changes things.” He wheezes.  
  
“Have fun.” You say, texting someone on your phone. Probably Alphys.   
  
Frisk elects to give Papyrus a shaky smile and a thumbs up. Soon, Papyrus knows, things will settle back down to ‘normal’. A little space tonight will only help. So he adjusts his scarf and steps outside, and begins walking.  
  
Can he truly trust the human? Judging by everything that has happened- the records Sans has kept, the utter lack of denial on Frisk’s part, the solemn look on your face, the memories… no. He shouldn’t. None of them should. But, there’s something there…  
  
Call it foolishness, recklessness- the list of adjectives can go on and on. But Papyrus has faith. Things will be different this time.  
  
“Heeeey. it’s Papyruuuuuus!” Bun is stumbling outside of the bar and almost rams herself right into the skeleton.  
  
“BUN.” He warily responds, grabbing her by the upper arm in an effort to help her remain upright. “I TRUST YOU ARE HEADING HOME NOW? YOU ARE IN NO CONDITION TO DO ANYTHING OTHERWISE.”  
  
“The second hottest skeleton in town!” She hiccups, blissfully unaware of Papyrus’ impatience. “Or are you the first? I dunno, I lost count!”   
  
This is the harlot that slept with his brother. Oh, but that’s rude of him! Surely, it was Sans that was the harlot? How do these things go again? Oh no, she’s touching his sternum!  
  
“I NEED AN ADULT!” Papyrus screeches and seconds later Grillby is poking his head outside, quickly followed by Red Bird.  
  
_Bun._ The fire elemental calls for the drunk rabbit’s attention. She squints over at him.  
  
“Yeah, Grillbz?”  
  
_Go home._ __  
__  
Bun frowns and whines, but eventually wanders away. Papyrus gazes after her, worried.  
  
“She’ll be fine.” Red Bird comments, “It’s not far from the inn. Good ol’ Mopsy will take care of her.”  
  
“IT’S A BIT TOO EARLY TO BE SO INTOXICATED.” Papyrus says, “I WORRY, SOMETIMES.”  
  
“We’ve all got our own way of coping.” He shrugs, feathers ruffling.  
  
_Is everything alright?_ Grillby asks, features turning concerned when Papyrus gives him a weak smile.  
  
“AS GOOD AS THINGS CAN BE. I WISH TO… BE IN YOUR PRESENCE. FOR A LITTLE WHILE.” He admits, feeling all sorts of awkward when Red Bird smirks.  
  
“Grillby, you know me and Lesser Dog know this place like the back of our hands. Take a break, yeah?” He wiggles his eyebrows at Papyrus, who only stares helplessly back at him.   
  
... _Do not destroy my bar._  
  
Red Bird gives him a thumbs up and ducks back inside. The door slams shut, and there’s a muffled silence before, suddenly, everyone in there starts enthusiastically cheering. Grillby sighs in defeat and turns to Papyrus.  
  
“PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE COME AT ANOTHER TIME.” Papyrus muses, but the bartender shakes his head and reaches for the skeleton’s hand.  
  
_They just enjoy teasing me._ With a gentle tug, Grillby guides his boyfriend around the bar and to the small attachment he uses as a home.  
  
Grillby’s place reminds Papyrus of the small, cramped apartment he and Sans shared back at the capital. But, somehow, he made it look cozy. Like a home. He was never able to do that over there.   
  
There’s no kitchen, as Grillby just cooked his meals at the restaurant. No living room either. Just a dresser, bed, and television. Everything was in browns and greens and all other sorts of foresty colors. Despite it’s size and simplicity, Papyrus rather likes it.  
  
Papyrus kicks off his boots right at the door and slowly settles himself on the bed. He’s barely able to bite back the startled yelp when the floofy blankets try to swallow him whole. That’s what happened the first time he found himself here. and has the feeling it’ll never fail to surprise him.  
  
Grillby crackles in amusement before slipping off his own shoes and shrugging off his jacket. That done, he joins Papyrus and grabs the remote. _Mettaton?_  
  
“Mettaton.” He confirms, curling closer to the warmth that is the elemental.  
  
Hours later, you and Sans are silently watching as Frisk stares blankly at the blank television screen.   
  
“should… should we be concerned?” Sans whispers.  
  
“Dunno. This is the first time they’ve acted like this.” You answer, “Maybe we should have told Frisk we were telling first?”  
  
“well, i am personally blaming you.”   
  
“What?!”  
  
“you broke the human.”  
  
“How in the hell did I do that?!”  
  
“I dunno, but you did. congratulations.”  
  
“Would you two knock it off?!” Frisk snaps.  
  
“and they speak again.”  
  
“I’m okay, guys.” The human stands up and shuffles over to them. “Really. It’s just… I’m all talked out now.”  
  
“Did you eat anything today?” You ask, and glancing over at the couch, you spot a half finished bowl of cereal on the floor. “So that’s a no. Well, let’s feed and water you, okay?”  
  
“Ugh, fine.”  
  
“Spoken like a true preteen.” You tease, pushing the child towards the kitchen. Over your shoulder, you call out to Sans, “Mind fixing that window over there before Papyrus gets back? Thanks!”  
  
“you’re such a pane in the tailbone.” Sans replies, but knowing him the window will be replaced as soon as Frisk is done eating.  
  
There’s no more talking that day. __  
  
__


	33. Where Undyne Feels Neglected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I have a checklist of things that need to be done before I can move on with the plot. This is one of them.

_ You’re in a study of some sort. Shelves, from floor to ceiling, surround you. A fireplace is on one side, with a large, lumpy armchair sitting besides it. There is a fire crackling in there, but you can’t feel heat coming from it. As a matter of fact… _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Wait. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ You can’t help but notice that there seems to be books missing from the shelves. But how could you know such a thing? Have you been here before? _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “You’re not supposed to be here.” A familiar voice grumbles, and just like that, your memories come back. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “So, we meet again.” You say, “I thought the last time was my final warning?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Do not be snide, child.” Dr. Gaster snarls, “It appears I have lost control of this… situation.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “These books are your memories right? You’re missing more.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “I am well aware of that fact.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Also, I pretty much forgot about all of…” You wave your hand around, “This. As soon as I woke up. Safe to say I might forget about this meeting too?” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “I… I do not know.” He’s hesitant to say, “All evidence points to ‘yes’ but… there are holes. Everywhere. In my head. In my bones. There is nothing certain.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “We need to get you out of here.” Wherever he is, it must be hurting him. Taking a closer look at the shelves, you can see the holes. Tiny, almost microscopic. But there is enough of them to crumble the wood if you as so much as touch them.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “This is my MIND. My SOUL. There is no getting out of here.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “You know, if you’d just tell us how to get to you-” You begin, then cringe as the shelves rattle around you. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “NO.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Your surroundings go black. _   
  
“Wah!” You shout, sitting up. Papyrus pauses, sweater halfway down his ribcage.   
  
“UH?”   
  
“Shit. Sorry.” You rub your eye sockets.    
  
“LANGUAGE.” Papyrus scolds, then frowns, “NOT THAT IT MATTERS RIGHT NOW. THE HUMAN ISN’T HERE.”   
  
Frisk decided to sleep on the couch last night. After talking to the other skeleton, you guess they feel a little self conscious about their past actions. Well, self conscious is a gentle way of putting it. You know they regret what they did. But, to have someone like Papyrus know their sins? You don’t know how you’d handle it if you were in their shoes, but it wouldn’t be surprising if you ended up hiding in Asgore’s basement for the rest of your life.   
  
“THEY DIDN’T JOIN US LAST NIGHT.” Papyrus elaborates, tugging the sweater down all the way. “IT MAKES ME WONDER IF I DID SOMETHING WRONG. BUT- I’M PRETTY SURE I DIDN’T?”    
  
“You didn’t.” You agree, “I guess they just need more time. Don’t worry, you’ll be best buds again before you know it.”   
  
“MORE TIME FOR WHAT.” He huffs, “WE ALREADY DISCUSSED EVERYTHING THAT WAS NEEDED FOR DISCUSSING!”   
  
“Feelings are a bit more complicated than that.” WIth a yawn you crawl out of bed. “I mean, if you hurt someone really bad, and they talk to you about it and forgive you, you’d still feel awkward, right?”   
  
“BUT- YOU AND SANS KEPT SECRETS FROM ME TOO, AND THEY’RE THE ONLY ONE THAT’S ACTING WEIRD.”   
  
“They killed you.” You don’t miss the look of dismay on Papyrus’ face. Cringing, you turn away and grab your sweater. “It’s… kinda different than what we kept from you, you know?”   
  
“I SUPPOSE SO.” He sighs, and visibly shakes the worry from his face. “SO, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR TODAY?”   
  
“I- I don’t know.” You admit, shrugging. Something’s tugging at the back of your skull, though. Like time is running out. Ridiculous, right? There’s plenty of time. There’s nothing  _ but _ time.   
  
“WELL, I AM SURE YOU WILL THINK OF SOMETHING.” Papyrus playfully taps the tip of your nose canal. “IF NOTHING ELSE, PRACTICE YOUR BLUE MAGIC!”   
  
“Sure.” You smile and nod, following Papyrus as he exits the room.    
  
Downstairs Sans is guzzling down what looks like an entire pot of coffee. The couch, you note, is empty.   
  
“SANS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”   
  
“g’morning.” Said skeleton yawns, “got a meeting with alph.”   
  
“About what?” You curiously watch as he shrugs on a well worn lab coat.    
  
“WOWIE!” Papyrus gasps, eye sockets sparkling. “ARE YOU GOING BACK INTO THE COLD, LOVING ARMS OF SCIENCE, BROTHER?!”   
  
“nah.” Sans laughs, “just a little side project. we’ll see how it goes.”   
  
“Have fun.” You roll your eyes when he presses an all too familiar mug into your hands. “Ugh.”   
  
“it’s only every other day now.” Sans reminds you, “next checkup we’ll see if other adjustments need to be made.”   
  
“Right.” You chug your medicine, managing not to gag this time. When you’re done, Sans is already gone.   
  
“WHATEVER PROJECT THIS IS… I AM GLAD FOR IT.” Papyrus comments, “I FEAR HE WAS WASTING AWAY AT HIS SENTRY POST.”   
  
“He’s more of a science guy?”   
  
“WELL, YES.” Papyrus crosses his arms, “BACK AT THE CAPITAL… THAT WAS WHEN HE WAS HAPPIEST. EVEN WITH OUR CRAMPED QUARTERS. HOWEVER, WHEN I MENTIONED MY DESIRE TO JOIN THE GUARD, HE DISRUPTED HIS CAREER TO MOVE US TO SNOWDIN.”   
  
“It’s not like he wouldn’t have been able to commute everyday.” You mutter, and the taller skeleton nods.   
  
“I KNOW. IT IS A DISSERVICE, TO BLAME MY GOALS FOR HIS DECISIONS. HOWEVER! MY MEMORIES ARE NOT THAT GREAT- OUR TIME BEFORE SNOWDIN IS A BLUR.” Papyrus shakes his head, “I AM PRETTY SURE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED, WHICH HURT SANS GREATLY, AND ONLY ENCOURAGED OUR MOVE.”   
  
You’re pretty sure, if Gaster was the last royal scientist, then Sans worked with him. Alphys already confirmed this, back before you even knew his name. Whatever it is that happened at the core, that’s what got Sans to quit working at the lab.   
  
Frisk says they want to rescue Gaster so that he would in turn take away their ability to reset. But, perhaps, they’re also doing this to make things up to Sans, who probably suffered from their resets the most out of all the monsters underground.   
  
“WELL, I MUST BE OFF.” Papyrus gives you his customary, affectionate head nuzzle before striding out the door.    
  
A few minutes later you decide grabbing breakfast at Grillby’s is a better option than eating leftovers, so you exit the house too. Only, as soon as you shut the door behind you, you hear a loud “NGAHHH!” and your vision goes dark as something is shoved over your head and halfway down your torso.    
  
“What the hell?!” You shriek, arms trapped by your sides. You’re picked up like a sack of potatoes and slung over someone’s shoulder. “Shit, let me go!”   
  
“Oh, hey Undyne! Hey Bones!” You hear Monster Kid’s greeting as your captor starts moving.   
  
“UNDYNE?!” You shout, “Put me down, now!”   
  
The captain of the royal guard just cackles and continues on her way.   
  
It’s like being transported over the most bumpy road in the world, especially when she starts running. Terrifying too, as you have no idea where you’re going nor can you see your surroundings. The most you get from this experience are the gasps and muttered laughter of the monsters that spot you. You barely notice when the chill in the air is replaced by damp heat.   
  
By the time Undyne slows down, you have accepted your fate. Goodbye, cruel world. You’re about to be a test subject for Undyne’s cooking. Or you’ve been drafted into the guard. You’re not quite sure what’s gotten into her, but it’s not going to be good.   
  
You’re not so gently placed on your feet, and the pillowcase she used to capture you is ripped off the top of your skull.    
  
“Alright nerd, it’s about time we have a chat!” Undyne yells, and you blink up at her in surprise before glaring.   
  
“What was so important you had to kidnap me? And isn’t kidnapping illegal here?! We could’ve talked in Snowdin, you know?!” You’re standing in the middle of Undyne’s house, mystified and slightly terrified of the large fish woman and her large, toothy grin.   
  
“When’s the last time we had a jam session?” Undyne asks, and you helplessly shrug. “I’ll tell you when! Not since the first time!”   
  
“Right.” You nod. That day… it feels like a lifetime ago.    
  
“And… when’s the last time you actually played? By yourself, or whatever.” She presses.   
  
“Not since…” You think, “Since before I got injured.” Since you learned about what Impact did to you.   
  
“Right, and I totally understand why!” She enthusiastically nods, “But, here’s the thing- you totally LOVE playing the violin.”   
  
“Undyne…” You laugh, “I’ve just been busy. No time to play.”   
  
“Down here, nerd,” Undyne snorts, “We have all the time in the world. I’m not taking any of your bullshit excuses. You aren’t playing anymore because, SOMEHOW, you think, just because HE taught you it, that means you shouldn’t enjoy it. Well?! Am I right?!”   
  
“...” You don’t want to talk about this. Especially not to Undyne. “Look, think what you want. It doesn’t matter.”   
  
“You’re damn right it doesn’t.” She aggressively agrees, “Because you have all the free time you need today, so your pathetic excuse doesn’t fly! And if I’m right- that makes this activity all the more important! TAKE BACK your passion! LET GO of the past! Play with me!”   
  
“Are you serious?!” You hiss. “All of this, just because you want to play psychologist?”   
  
“NO!” Undyne denies, “I am doing this because we’re FRIENDS and Sans and Papyrus are being way too GENTLE with you!”   
  
“Gentle?” You sputter.   
  
“Yeah, and I can totally get that!” She slams a fist into the palm of her hand, “You get that lost, puppydog look on your face and BAM, they’re putty in your hands! So of COURSE they’re being total weenies and coddling you!”   
  
You have a feeling Undyne is not aware of the grueling magic lessons Sans has been putting you through. Or the solo half marathon Papyrus made up that one morning.     
  
“But me?! I won’t do that crap!” Undyne boasts, “I’m gonna make you face your fears HEAD ON!”   
  
“Look, if I play a stupid song then will you let me go?” You resignedly ask.   
  
“...Maybe.” She squints down at you, “But nothing stupid, like twinkle twinkle little star. A REAL song.”   
  
So, obviously, when you take out your violin for the first time since forever, you start playing  _ The Wheels on the Bus _ .   
  
“Could you not?!” Undyne snaps, then cringes when you smirk and start a lovely rendition of  _ It’s A Small World. _ “Oh my god that somehow makes everything WORSE.”   
  
You start cracking up. It starts off small at first, but it very quickly turns loud and hysterical. After a moment of shocked silence, Undyne joins in. By the time your little fit is over, you’re leaning against her piano, wiping tears from your eye sockets. Undyne herself is weakly grinning at you, her eye watchful and weary.   
  
“...What?” You ask when she starts staring a bit longer than you’re comfortable with.   
  
“You’re adorable, you know that?” She blurts out.   
  
“Aren’t you a taken woman?” You gasp, turning away to suppress the sudden embarrassment you feel.   
  
“Not like THAT!” Undyne sputters, facepalming. “I mean, like a LITTLE BROTHER or something! Stars, how would that EVEN WORK?”   
  
“Well, when one skeleton loves another very very much, they have this special hug-” You start and she loudly starts to shush you.   
  
“That was rhetorical, you asshole.” She snickers, then schools her features into a solemn expression, “I was getting worried, you know.”   
  
“Why?” You incredulously ask.   
  
“It’s just, well…” She crosses her arms, “What with everything that’s been going on. First, with your uncle. Then, when you went down there to find Alphys- I kinda feel like I was leading you into a trap. I should have been there, not you.”   
  
“Like anyone knew what she was hiding.” You reasonably point out, “You were worried. I was worried. I’m just glad everything worked out in the end. It, uh. It did, right?”   
  
“If you mean with the amalgamates? Yeah. everything’s peachy. Their families are happy to have them back. The dogs are treating the return of Endogeny like some sort of big family reunion. It’s so sweet it’s disgusting.” Undyne snorts. “But, that’s not what I was worried about. You are becoming kind of a shut in, you know that?”   
  
“Shit, is that what you and Alphys are thinking?”   
  
“It’s like you’re content just staying at the house, unless you’re out going on a dangerous mission or something.”   
  
“Yes, because visiting Alphys’ lab was a dangerous mission.” You roll your eyes.   
  
“Even Frisk is doing something, and they’re supposed to be keeping a low profile.” Undyne sighs, blatantly ignoring your comment. “I mean, you could pay me a visit, you know?!”   
  
“Gee, I didn’t know I was neglecting you.” You tease, “In all honesty, I thought you and Alphys just needed some time alone to… date and stuff?”   
  
“Just because I have a girlfriend now doesn’t mean I don’t have time to hang out with my friends.” Undyne retorts, “Unlike some other skeleton I know.”   
  
Wait. What.   
  
“Are you talking about Papyrus?” You ask in shock. The fish monster tenses, then slumps, smiling sadly.   
  
“We haven’t had a cooking lesson since I became friends with the human.” She quietly informs you. “At first, I thought that maybe it’s just because of all that chaos that happened after. A lot of things happened, in a quick amount of time. But, things have settled down, right?! And we still haven’t resumed…”   
  
“So kidnap him too?” You grumpily suggest.   
  
“It’s a bit more complicated than that.” She shoots you a look, “You know how he wanted to be part of the royal guard, right?”   
  
“Yeah.”   
  
“And you know that the royal guard is all about capturing humans and taking their SOULs to the king?”   
  
“Yeeeah?”   
  
“Well…” She huffs, “The entire point of those cooking lessons? Was to distract him. From trying to join the royal guard. I mean, you see how he is, right?! We’re supposed to capture humans. And he went and BEFRIENDED one. On a real battlefield? He’d be torn into small smiley pieces.”   
  
You shudder at the thought. “I have a feeling you’re right about that.”   
  
“All this time without one cooking lesson.” Undyne goes on to say, “And not ONCE has he asked about becoming an official member. He’s found a better way to live his life, and BELIEVE ME, I am so GLAD about that. But it makes me wonder- would my presence remind him of his original goal? Would he be better off if I just… quietly distanced myself?”   
  
“Undyne…”   
  
“I’m kinda selfish. It’s probably healthier for him to stay away from the whole ‘capturing humans’ business. But I MISS him.” She complains. “And that’s STUPID, because he called me, what, last week? Just to make sure we were still friends? NGAH!”   
  
“You know what?” You snap, “You have no business telling me how to handle my problems when you’ve got your own that need handling.”   
  
“I KNOW.” Undyne shrieks, “But DAMN IT, at least I KNOW how to handle YOURS.”   
  
“Well, that’s just great, because guess what?!” You smirk, “I know how to handle yours!” That said, you take out your phone and begin dialing.    
  
“Wait, what are you doing?!” She demands, reaching for you. You duck away as the phone rings once… twice… and-   
  
“HELLO? BONES, IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT?”   
  
“Papyrus, you have been neglecting your friendship duties!” You sing song, dodging a spear Undyne throws at you.   
  
“I… HAVE?” Stars, he sounds confused.    
  
“Meet us at Undyne’s, yeah?”    
  
“OH DEAR.” Papyrus gasps, “I DID NOT REALIZE UNDYNE WOULD MISS MY PRESENCE SO GREATLY! I AM COMING OVER RIGHT NOW!”   
  
You hang up and grin at the flustered woman. “And that is how you set up a friend date!”   
  
“That was revenge because I stuffed you into a pillowcase earlier isn’t it.” She deadpans.   
  
“If you’re getting into my business, I can do the same to you.” You shrug.   
  
“Eh, guess that’s fair.” Undyne sheepishly says.   
  
It doesn’t take long before Papyrus barrels through the door to sweep Undyne up in a hug. “UNDYNE!” He cries out, “PLEASE, DO NOT WEEP, FOR I AM HERE!”   
  
“I WAS NOT WEEPING!” Undyne protests, punching him in the arm.   
  
You sneak out so that the two can reconcile their friendship in private.   
  
“I MUST CONFESS.” Papyrus says once you close the door behind you, “THAT A LOT HAS BEEN ON MY MIND. I DO APOLOGISE FOR KEEPING YOU OUT OF THE LOOP.”   
  
“Eh.” Undyne shrugs, “No problem, Papyrus.”   
  
“OH, BUT IT IS. CERTAIN THINGS HAVE COME TO LIGHT THAT I AM NOT AT LIBERTY TO DISCUSS WITH YOU.” He informs her.    
  
“Is it something that I need to know? That the king needs to know?” She asks.   
  
“NO.” Papyrus hesitates, but remains firm in his response. “EXCEPT THAT, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT…”   
  
“That?” Undyne presses, frowning.   
  
“YOU SEE…” Papyrus sighs, “IT APPEARS THAT. WELL. PLEASE, KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU ARE A DEAR FRIEND, AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR YOU AND YOUR SUPLEXING SKILLS, BUT-”   
  
“Out with it already!”   
  
“UNDYNE.” Papyrus gently places his hands on his friend’s shoulders. “IT’S JUST. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO COOK.”   
  
Undyne stills. “What.”   
  
“I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO BEST APPROACH YOU.” Papyrus continues, “SEEING AS HOW WE HAVE BONDED OVER OUR TRAINING SESSIONS.”   
  
“Papyrus.” Undyne growls. “I’m going to kick your ass.”   
  
“YOU CAN CERTAINLY TRY.” The tall skeleton agrees.


	34. Tea Time With Old Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're getting there, I promise.

Time passes. Before you know it, a week has passed since you discovered the true lab and its secrets. A week since you learned who the last royal scientist was. A week since you and Frisk decided the next step would be to poke around the core.   
  
You don’t know why the two of you have been putting this off. Maybe Frisk doesn’t want to be disappointed if Gaster can’t, or won’t, help them. Maybe you are getting entirely too comfortable in the underground, unhindered by problems like it’s raining, where are you going to sleep tonight, or hey, how are you going to get food now that the local soup kitchen closed down.    
  
Sometimes, when you think about it, you find yourself not even missing the sky at all. And isn’t that great, considering Papyrus is very careful about asking questions about the surface. He thinks reminding you of what you ‘lost’ would make you sad. That’s a joke. What really, truly, makes you sad, is that it’s all up to a kid to decide when your little makeshift family will be able to see the sun.    
  
Stars. you really do love the kid, but they have a questionable way of doing things.   
  
“What do you think we’ll be finding at the core?” You ask Frisk as the two of you walk down the path to the elevators in Hotland.    
  
“If things go smoothly…” Frisk sighs and wipes sweat from their forehead, “There’ll be another door there. The one in Waterfall hasn’t reappeared yet, and I’m running out of patience. We’ve got to rescue Gaster.”   
  
“This guy better be thankful for all this effort we’re putting in.” You mutter, and stop short when you see two large, burly monsters guarding the elevators. “What’s all this then?”   
  
“No idea.” Frowning, the child turns to you. “Before, they’d be guarding the elevators near Alphys’ lab. This is different.”   
  
“Well, we’ve been off script since I came down here with you anyway.” You sigh, “So, let’s see what’s up.”   
  
The guards straighten their postures as you approach. Their armor glistens against the heat in the air. You think it’s probably very uncomfortable to be wearing that sort of thing in Hotland, of all places.   
  
“Excuse me.” Frisk says, clasping their hands behind their back. “Can we please go through?”   
  
“Like, sorry skeleton dude. Sorry striped shirt dude. Normally, we’d totally let you through. But the core is, like, going under ‘renovations’ and there’s a good chance you’d melt or something if you get too close.” The muscular rabbit in armor looks down at you and Frisk, shrugging apologetically. Besides him, the dragon monster huffs in agreement.   
  
“Renovations?” You question, “What renovations?”   
  
“Preparations for the underground’s upcoming expansion.” The dragon answers, “Dr. Alphys set up a team, and they’re the only ones allowed inside. Top secret stuff. Exciting, right?! I’m thinking of getting a bigger place in New New Home once it’s ready.”   
  
“New New Home?” Frisk wrinkles their nose, “Seriously?”   
  
“The name’s a work in progress.” The rabbit defends his partner.   
  
“Yup. I might change it depending on the environment. Like, if there’s more snow? We can totally call it New Snowdin.”   
  
“Brilliant.” You dryly comment, and the dragon beams in response.   
  
“Look, we know Alphys.” Frisk presses the issue, “I’m sure if you tell her that it’s Frisk and Bones, she’d make an exception.”   
  
“It’s not up to Dr. Alphys, bro.” The dragon shrugs, “This is all on King Asgore’s orders. You see, the last time someone messed with the core… something bad happened.”   
  
You and Frisk exchange a look. “Something bad?” You ask.   
  
“Well, yeah. Back when the core was first created?” The rabbit informs you, “Totally unstable. Blackouts were common. So, they were experimenting. Seeing what the core can handle. And the guy in charge totally bit off more than they could chew.”   
  
“Were they okay?” Frisk asks, eyes wide and curious.     
  
“I think they died.” The dragon quietly says, “And that’s why the king wants everybody to be really careful this time around.”   
  
The two of you aren’t going to get anything more out of the two monsters. Sensing this, you sigh and turn away. Frisk hovers in front of the guards for a few moments longer before slumping in defeat. They follow behind you.   
  
“Like, tell Mopsy I said hi!” The rabbit calls after you. Cringing, you give the guard a thumbs up. That’s just what you need- Mopsy finding out that you were snooping around the core.    
  
“Do all the rabbits down here know each other?” You ask the child, who quietly laughs.   
  
“Everyone knows each other down here.” Frisk points out, kicking at the ground, “So, now we have to figure out a way around the guards. No problem. I’ve done it before…”   
  
“How?” You ask, “It looks like they can huff and puff and blow little humans away without even lifting a finger.” You reach the elevator that’ll bring you down to Alphys’ lab.   
  
“I tricked them into going on a date together.” They admit, startling a laugh out of you, “But they knew I was a human then, and were looking to stop me. Not guarding the way to the core. We’ve got to do this another way.”   
  
“King Asgore told them not to allow anyone else through. Maybe we can get him to give us permission? Or, well, give me permission.” You scratch at your scar, “You still need to be hidden away from him.”   
  
“So, what you’re saying is I have to stay behind again.” Frisk sounds displeased.   
  
“This is how our partnership works, kiddo. I do the things you can’t.”   
  
“I can’t believe we went all the way here for nothing.” They grumble, “I skipped school for this.”   
  
Sensing their acquiesce, you press a button and the doors slide open. “Your regret is nonexistent. You hate school.”    
  
“Oh no, it exists. Especially when Papyrus finds out.” Frisk snorts, and the elevator descends. Seconds later the two of you are making your way back to the river person’s boat.   
  
“I couldn’t help but notice you slept on the couch again last night.” You hesitantly mention.    
  
“I…” Frisk sighs, “Every time I hug Papyrus, he has to steel himself. I know he can’t help it… but it hurts. And yeah, I deserve to feel terrible after all that I’ve done… I’m not going to force him to interact with me, or touch me, if it makes him uncomfortable.”   
  
“House rules, kid.” You remind them. “You gotta talk to Papyrus about this.”   
  
“Maybe I shouldn’t sleep there anymore.” Frisk closes their eyes, “I don’t know how Sans can even stand the sight of me. How can  _ you  _ stand the sight of me?”   
  
“Because you’re trying to atone, right?” When they give you a confused look, you elaborate. “Sure, you did some bad things. But you’re actively working to change. And that matters, a lot more than you think. And, well…” You scratch your chin. “At least the people you killed didn’t stay dead.”   
  
“...Thanks, Bones.” Reaching the boat, their expression turns alarmed when you pick them up and place them on the rocking object. “You’re not coming with?”   
  
“We have to finish this, one way or another.” You reply. “So, I’m going to pay a visit to the king and see if I can get clearance into the core. While I do that, you need to find Papyrus and the two of you can have another heart to heart. Sound good?”   
  
“Not really, but I guess it has to be done.”   
  
“Good.” You nod towards the river person, who waves back at you before coaxing the boat into moving. Soon the both of them are out of sight, and you suck in a deep breath.   
  
And, no, it’s not because you’re excited to see King Asgore again.   
  
The first time you went to the castle, Flowey took you. He dragged you into the dirt, a movement similar to how the vegetable monsters move around, and you arrived at your destination almost instantly. It won’t be like that now.   
  
True to his word, Flowey hasn’t visited you since your little adventure at the lab. To be honest, you are kind of disappointed. You miss the little guy, despite his harsh exterior. And you don’t understand Sans’ problem with him, considering that the stuff he told you that Flowey did? Frisk pulled the same crap. Is it because Flowey is a monster, and not a human child? What else makes them any different, after all?   
  
They’re both cursed with phenomenal cosmic power, but trapped in an itty bitty living space. You laugh to yourself. Now’s not the time to quote Disney.    
  
You find yourself in the capital soon enough, and you didn’t know what you were expecting… but now you know Alphys wasn’t exaggerating. The streets were busy with a crazy amount of monsters rushing past each other with barely a word. Small stands are pushed flush against each other as shopkeepers shouted their wares to uninterested crowds. Packs of children roamed, led by a harassed looking adult.   
  
All the buildings, you note, are stacked on top of each other. The ones on the bottom are obviously rundown, but built sturdy enough to keep standing. The higher your gaze goes, the newer the stories looked. They probably reach all the way to the top, you think. At least, as close as they can get.    
  
A rough looking rat monster bumps against your shoulder, mutters a gruff apology, and continues on their way without even blinking. Sighing, you duck into a small alleyway to catch your bearings.   
  
Despite the Capital being underground, and quite smaller than Ebott, it’s still a city. Wandering around, looking lost and touristy… it’s not good for a monster. While you know a place like Snowdin is all safe and family friendly, you’re not quite sure about here. Best not make yourself an easy target.   
  
At least it’s clean. Much cleaner than what you’re used to. Even in this alleyway, with a large dumpster right across from you, you don’t smell rotting food or decay. Litter is almost nonexistent.    
  
Anyway, Alphys downloaded an app for you- a virtual map of the underground. A quick look will tell you all that you need to know to get to Asgore’s palace. You shove your hand into your pocket and frown. It’s empty. But your phone is always in that pocket!   
  
“Shit.” You hiss. That rat monster. They used the oldest trick in the book on you, and you fell for it like a chump. Living in Snowdin has really gotten your guard down.   
  
As quick as you can, you run back into the streets, ducking around various monsters, eyes scanning for that damn thief. You curse at yourself as you walk back to the exact area you bumped into them. If they are experienced, they’d be long gone by now, and you’re pretty sure there are plenty of mice and rats in this city that’d it be hard to track anyone down. But, if you’re lucky, and this thief is relatively inexperienced… they’d still be hanging around, looking for a second mark.    
  
And, hey. Lady Luck is on your side today. Looking guilty as sin, there stands a rat monster. It’s a male, barely an adult, wearing ill fitting clothes that makes him look older and bigger than he really is. Dark gray fur, large yellow eyes. In his paws, you see your phone. He’s frowning down at it, clicking through with dirty claws. You panic at the sight.   
  
If he’s going through your inventory, he might come across your bag. Inside are your papers. And, sure, you’ve told Sans and Papyrus about where you’re really from, but no other monster is to know. At least… for now. No one else has any right to your business.    
  
Without even realizing it, you shout, “HEY!” and the rat looks up. His jaw drops at the sight of you, and he turns as if to run. You don’t let him.   
  
Practicing with Sans has paid off. With a wave of your hand, you can see his SOUL turn blue and, flailing, the rat’s knees buckle to the ground. Ignoring the small crowd that’s gathering, you jog up to the monster, and reach down to snatch your phone from his trembling paws.   
  
“What the hell, man?!” The rat squeaks as you glare down at your screen. He was looking through your storage, but it seems he hasn’t gotten to your dufflebag yet. Good. And Frisk was yelling at you for cheating the system, too. “Let me up!”   
  
“Should I call Undyne, or are you going to shut up?” You snap, and the rat quiets down. “You chose the wrong guy to mark, kid.”   
  
“I’m no kid.” He snaps back, voice squeaking.   
  
“Maybe I should get Undyne.” You muse, “I mean, obviously you know what you did was wrong, but I don’t see any remorse.”   
  
“Screw remorse!” The rat squeaks at you, “When all someone can do to make a living in this hole of a city is sell  _ garbage _ , why should I feel bad?!”    
  
That sounds kind of familiar, doesn’t it?   
  
_ “Son, this is the third time I’ve had to throw you in the drunk tank.” Officer… Alvin? Al? Wait- Alvaro. That’s his name. “I’m starting to think you miss my pretty smile.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ You sullenly look over at him from your position on the cot. “I wasn’t even under the influence last night.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “No.” He agrees, approaching the bars. He loosely wraps a hand around one. “But I saw the way you were looking at that bakery. Figured this is better than getting arrested for breaking and entering.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ It’s warm in the bakery. Much warmer than the blizzard that was going on outside last night. You weren’t even planning on eating much of their stock this time, but it might be best you not mention that to the cop. He’s kind and patient, at least for a human. You don’t want to test his resolve. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Where are your parents?” He casually asks, and you shrug. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Depends on what faith you subscribe to.” Alvaro actually winces at your words. It makes you feel kind of bad, but he asked, right? _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Jesus, sorry.” He mutters. “So, what, you’re just on your own? Don’t you have family? A home?” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “No to both.” You chuckle, watching him squirm. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “You’re young, right? Not even an adult.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “I’m sixteen.” He gives you a look of disbelief. “And you can’t make me go back into foster care. I know the law, officer.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Oh, you know the law alright.” Alvaro rolls his eyes, but you see him take his keys and move to unlock the cell door. “You know it enough to know that squatting in abandoned buildings and breaking into businesses is illegal. But you don’t really care about that, do you?” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Standing, you approach as he opens the door. “Maybe one day I won’t have to care about staying warm or having food to eat. Then I’ll have room to care about the law.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Alvaro scoffs and grabs you by the upper arm. You stiffen but don’t allow your fear to express itself. “Listen- you know that old apartment building down on third? The one with that fucking ugly statue on the front lawn?” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Our founding father’s lovely wife?” You ask, raising your brow. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “The lady probably wasn’t that bad looking, but it’s a really ugly statue.” He shrugs.  _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Yeah, I know the place.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “So, I live on the third floor.” He continues, “Number three-oh-five. It’s gonna be a cold one, this winter. Do me a favor and sleep on the couch?” _ _  
_ _  
_ That was your first little safe haven. Up until you turned eighteen, Alvaro’s place was the one you went to for a warm place to stay. Sometimes he even coerced you into letting him feed you. You wonder how the old man is doing now. You haven’t seen him in years.   
  
Looking down at the monster that stole your phone, you can see a younger version of yourself. And you know there is no talking sense into him. Just like you, he has to want better. Sighing, you let his SOUL go and he scrambles up and away from you.   
  
“Sorry, if I knew you were part of the guard-” He mutters.   
  
“What? What makes you think-?” You ask in surprise.   
  
“Y-your sweater?!” He nervously sweats, “T-the purple, it’s the same color like the royal one? And the threads are gold, and you can see the stitching at the end of the sleeves- Wait. Why am I explaining this to you?!”   
  
As he runs away, you bring your wrist up to your eye sockets and squint.    
  
Oh.   
  
He’s right.   
  
The threads are golden. But what does that have to do with…   
  
A deep, hearty chuckle assaults your ear canal. Flushing, you turn to see King Asgore looking down at you. Wait. When did he…?    
  
“That wasn’t handled as gracefully as I would have hoped…” He trails off, sighing. “But I must admit. He will think twice before picking another’s pocket.”   
  
“Y-your majesty. I didn’t see you there.” You scratch the back of your neck.   
  
“You were preoccupied. It’s understandable. Please, walk with me. I know a shop that sells a rather unique blend of tea.” Turning, he wanders off. You helplessly follow, avoiding the stares of curious monsters.   
  
He takes you to a quieter part of the capital. Here, the shops and buildings are all the more run down, but judging by the way he navigates through the narrow streets and alleyways, he goes this way a lot. Soon enough you find yourself standing in front of a stand where an old tortoise monster and a bear are arguing.   
  
“I’m tellin’ ya right here and now,” The turtle gravely states, “That n’good son of a-”   
  
“For the last time.” The bear rubs her forehead, “That ‘no good son of a’ is my grandson, and I don’t appreciate the way-”   
  
“He went and took my spectacles!”   
  
“Gerson, he repaired them.”   
  
“They were meant to have that crack-”   
  
“Glasses weren’t meant to have cracks.” She snaps, then looks up in relief as you and Asgore approach. “Your majesty, have you come to save me from this old, crotchety fool?”   
  
“I have come for some tea.” Asgore meekly says, and the bear irritably sighs before turning towards an old, worn teakettle. “Please, Gerson- join us?”   
  
“I ain’t got no time for this.” Said tortoise mumbles, but sits at one of the small tables the shop offers. Asgore sits across from him, and you take the remaining seat. “Now who’s this then?”   
  
“Ah. This is Bones. He is Dr. Alphys’ assistant.” Asgore smiles over at you.   
  
“Oh ho! Is he now?” Gerson side eyes you. “So, he’s the one with the human pet, yeah?”   
  
“Uhh…” You start, and the old tortoise cackles.    
  
“I’m just messin’ with ya, boy!” He wheezes, “But, yeah, I know the kid’s a human. You don’t live as long as I have without being able to identify ‘em.”   
  
“Gerson is one of the few that survived the war- he fought with us when the barrier was created.” Asgore tells you.   
  
You recall your history lessons and gasp. “The hammer of justice.” You murmur, and the tortoise beams.   
  
“So they’re still actually teachin’ things over at those schools of ours? That’s almost impressive.”   
  
“Gerson.” Asgore frowns at the unapologetic monster, then turns his attention back to you. “Never mind him, Bones.”   
  
“I won’t.” You chuckle, panicking when you can’t find something to distract yourself with. You end up drumming your phalanges on the table. It’s not as soothing as you’d like.   
  
“Humph.” Gerson comments, but doesn’t add anything further.   
  
“The usual for the table.” The bear announces, plopping a tray down in front of you. She fusses with your cup first, pushing the steaming liquid at you. “The old one likes to make things too sweet, and the other prefers a more natural flavor. This one, however- it is how it is  _ supposed  _ to taste. On the house, sweetie.” She pinches your cheeks and flounces her way back to her stand.   
  
You look down at the dark liquid. “Oh. That’s nice of her.” You mutter.   
  
“That’s one way to describe ol’ Mama Bear.” Gerson snorts.   
  
“What troubles you, old friend?” Asgore gently asks, “I am fairly certain this isn’t just about a pair of glasses.”   
  
“It is.” Gerson sighs, “One of the things I collected from Pearl.”   
  
“...Oh.” Asgore averts his eyes.   
  
“I hold no ill will towards ya, you big softy.” The old tortoise shakes his head, “You know that.”   
  
“Still…”   
  
“Pearl?” You quietly ask, and Asgore sadly sighs.   
  
“The purple SOUL.” Gerson supplies, “I rather liked her. She loved my stories.”   
  
It’s obvious that Gerson holds some resentment, even if he seems to enjoy Asgore’s company. He even pats the old goat on the shoulder before shuffling on his way. You quietly sip at your tea, watching Asgore with a careful eye.   
  
“Pearl was… the one before.” Asgore clears his throat, “Maybe about one hundred years ago? But for monsters such as he and I- that’s not very long at all.”   
  
“The humans are pretty spread apart.” You comment.   
  
“Yes. Not one has ever met another.” Asgore sips his tea. “So… may I ask something that I have wondered for a while?”   
  
“What?” You curiously ask.   
  
“That sweater… It looks rather familiar.” He gestures to you. “May I see the sleeve?” When you offer your wrist he leans forward to examine the fabric. “Hrm. It looks like my wife’s handiwork.”   
  
You awkwardly shift in your seat.   
  
“You have seen her?” His eyes are wide and hopeful, and shit, you’re melting under that gaze.   
  
“I- uh, yes?” You stammer, SOUL beating fast. “A few months ago.”   
  
“Is she well?”   
  
“She looked okay.” Now it’s your turn to avert your eyes. “A little lonely, I think. She took to Frisk really fast.”   
  
“Frisk.” Asgore’s voice grows dark. “That is the human’s name?”   
  
“Sorry. You probably don’t want to hear about them.”   
  
“On the contrary. I find myself caring… a little too much.” He closes his eyes, “How are they doing? Do they like it down here?”   
  
“They’re in school now.” You say, “And they don’t like that much, but what kid does?”   
  
“Indeed.” Asgore laughs. “My children always gave their tutors a run for their gold. Every day was a new trial.”   
  
“Everyone likes them.” You continue, “They’re always playing with the other kids, having sleepovers… it’s like no one cares that they are…”   
  
“Human?” The king smiles. “Snowdin is a small, quaint town. Most there would not know what a human child would look like. Unlike here… Here, they would be found out quickly. That’s why I told you not to ever bring them to the capital. So, I must ask you- why are you here?”   
  
“To talk to you, actually.” You admit, to his surprise. “I tried entering the core, and, well, was stopped? By two guards.”   
  
“You did not give them your ID card?” Asgore asks.   
  
“ID card?”    
  
“Yes. Dr. Alphys was supposed to give you one, identifying you as an employee of the king.” Asgore looks amused. “I suppose she forgot? Anyway, with that card, you are allowed access to most of the royal facilities. I will be sure to send you one- you will have it by tomorrow.”   
  
“I… I haven’t worked with Alphys in a while. Ever since I got injured. You sure I’m still employed?”   
  
“You were injured ‘on the job’.” The king shrugs, “You were entitled to a few weeks of recovery before returning to work, even if you just started. So, yes, you are still employed. I am sorry that you had such trouble… what the good doctor is trying to accomplish will surely improve the lives of all those that live down here. To miss even a day, it must be disappointing.”   
  
“Thank you, Asgore.” You finish your tea and stand. “I’m sure you have plenty to do today without me distracting you.”   
  
“Nonsense. It is always a pleasure to speak with you.” He stands as well, towering over you like the giant he is. “And… I would not mind. Meeting every once in a while. To hear about the human.”   
  
This time, he initiates the hug. When you’re seconds away from doing something embarrassing (like swoon in his arms like some kind of damsel in distress) he releases you and gives you another heartbreaking smile. Then he is on his way.   
  
After standing there like a doofus for way longer than necessary, the shopkeeper ambles up to you and pushes another cup of tea into your slack hands. “My dear, I think you’ll need this.” She chuckles, “It’s not often I see someone so smitten.”   
  
You try croaking a protest, but she just pinches your cheeks again.    
  
Well.   
  
At least you have access to the core now.


	35. Salted Caramel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sooner or later, that goat is gonna move that boulder.

Asgore sure works fast. It’s hours later, approaching evening- you’re browsing a stall that’s selling good luck charms and seriously considering buying out the shopkeeper’s entire stock when Alphys calls. You answer with a cheerful, “Bones’ Mortuary, you stab ‘em, we slab ‘em!”  
  
“W-w-w-what?!”  
  
“Oh, hey Alphys.” You pick up a rabbit’s foot and eye it suspiciously. “What can I do you for?”  
  
“It- Um. Why did Asgore call me? About your employee card?” She clears her throat. “I, er. He t-told me you w-wanted to help with the core?”  
  
“Well, yeah.” You put the foot down and pick up an eerie looking doll. Its button eyes look up at you accusingly. “I am supposed to be your assistant, after all. And stars forbid Undyne find out I’m mooching on her favorite skeletons now.”  
  
“Y-you’re not a moocher.” Alphys argues, “A-anyway, I found your identification card. Y-you know Sans just about had a fit!”  
  
“Huh. Well, that was fast. Asgore said I’d have it by tomorrow.” The shopkeep glares at you. Probably doesn’t like you fiddling with all the merchandise. With an apologetic grin, you make the doll wave a tiny hand at him. “Also, why would Sans have a fit? He knows I’m supposed to be working for you, right? Is what you’re doing so dangerous that he wants to ban me from the core?”  
  
“N-no.” Alphys sighs, “The core… a- a lot of bad stuff happened. G-guess he doesn’t want anyone else he cares about to b-be around that.”  
  
“And yet he doesn’t realize…” You frown, “That maybe, just maaaybe, there are monsters that don’t want _him_ around the core for that exact same reason? It would be much safer if we were all keeping an eye on each other anyway, right?”  
  
“I- I know. That’s why I insisted on being there too.” Alphys makes an irritated sound. “C-can you believe he a-almost insisted on doing this by himself?!”  
  
“Yeah. That sounds about right.” You dryly comment before moving on to the next stall.  
  
“So…” Alphys trails off after a few quiet moments. “You ran into Asgore, huh?”  
  
“Don’t give me that sly tone.” You laugh, picking up a jar of candy.  
  
“D-details, please!”  
  
“We had tea.” You shrug, hesitating when you spot chewy salted caramels. “Oh my god.”  
  
“W-what? I-is everything alright?!”  
  
“They have caramel candy here. I think I found heaven.” You gesture to the merchant, a fluffy looking hamster with a pink mohawk. She chirps her acknowledgement and takes out a container.  
  
“C-caramel?” Alphys asks, befuddled.  
  
“My favorite flavor out of all the flavors.” You intently watch as she scoops about half the tray into the container.  
  
“F-funny, you never mentioned that.”  
  
“Never really saw the stuff around before.” You wistfully sigh as the hamster slides a bag towards you. Digging into your pockets, you drop a few gold pieces into her paws.  
  
“W-where are you, anyway?” You can hear Sans muttering something in the background. “Sans says he’ll drop off your card in a bit.”  
  
“I’m in the capital. The merchant circle, I think it’s called?” Oooh, the next stall is selling books. A quick glance tells you they’re being sold for a lot more than they should be, but you can’t help but look at the titles anyway.  
  
“N-now, stop trying to distract me! Tea? With Asgore?” You can hear the impatience in Alphys’ voice.  
  
“We had tea. It was served by a bear. Gerson was there. Funny guy.” Crap. Nearly all these books had missing pages.  
  
“What’d you talk about?!”  
  
“Umm…” You think hard about what to say. No one else knows that Asgore knows about Frisk, and you can’t imagine what kind of reaction you’ll get if that slips. “He asked about how I was doing. And talked a little about his kids.”  
  
“Awwww!” She squeals. “Does that m-mean you two had an emotional, bonding moment?!”  
  
“No. That means we had tea and talked.” You roll your eyes. “Honestly, doc. It’s obvious he still cares a lot about his wife.” He looked so eager for any news about Toriel…  
  
“You… You talked about the queen too, huh.” The royal scientist quietly says.  
  
“Don’t read anything into it. Apparently, I just have that kind of face.” You quietly sigh.  
  
“F-face?”  
  
“You know, the type of face you tell all your woes to.” You chuckle, “I mean, you’ve done it as well.”  
  
“T-that’s true.” Alphys chuckles back. “A-anyway. Day’s a-almost over. I’ll let you go now.:  
  
“I’ll see you later.” You promise, and hang up.  
  
Before long you find yourself back at the charm stand, again picking up that creepy looking doll. The monster sitting at the stool gives you an unimpressed look. “You actually gonna buy something this time? Or are you just here to play with the toys for free?”  
  
“Tell you what.” You say, “I’ll give you a gold to take this ugly thing off your hands.” After a second glance, the toy sort of reminds you of that ugly statue Alvaro loved to make fun of.  
  
“You tryin’ to insult me? Just take it and go.”  
  
You’re sitting on a bench, munching on a sandwich (those candies are for special occasions only, no binging on caramels this time, no siree) when Sans finds you.  
  
“hey bones, alph told me that-” Sans stops talking and stares. “it seems you have a new friend there.”  
  
You glance over at the doll currently perched on your shoulder. “I think I’m gonna call her Annabelle.”  
  
“is this another horror movie reference?” Sans asks and sits down. To your amusement, it’s on the opposite side the doll is. “you just couldn’t be the type to love romantic comedies, could you?”  
  
“Nah. Not edgy enough.” You stare as the shorter skeleton takes sidelong glances at your new toy. “Are you seriously spooked by a children’s toy?”  
  
“it’s creepy.”  
  
“It’s a doll.” You pick it up and plop it on Sans’ lap. He stares down at it in horrid fascination. In a high pitched voice, you chirp, “Hi Sansy! Would you like to be my friend?”  
  
“that only proves my point, pal.” He pokes at it until it falls over between you two. “anyway, got your passcard. any reason in particular you’re asking for it now?”  
  
“What? Are you suspicious of my motives? Whatever for?” You gasp, “I only want to earn my keep!”  
  
“heh, good one. now tell me about that bridge you’re selling.”  
  
“Okay. Serious discussion time.” You stare at him straight in the eye sockets. That should show him how serious you’re being now, right? “Frisk is under the impression that someone you know may or may not have accidentally erased themselves from this existence. And now wants to rescue him.”  
  
Sans freezes. “you’re not talking about who i think you’re talking about, are you?”  
  
“Gaster.” You confirm, watching as the other skeleton abruptly stops breathing. “Hey! You okay?”  
  
“what makes frisk think they can rescue him?” Sans demands. To your surprise, his phalanges are subtly shaking. “he’s dead. gone. there’s nothing to rescue.”  
  
“Frisk says they met him. In a room that they’ve visited once.” You reach over and grab one of his hands. “And I know it sounds crazy, but I believe them.”  
  
“so, what? do they plan on jumping in the core after him?” He shakes his head. “no way.”  
  
“Agreed.” You nod, “But I do want to have a look around anyway. Frisk will believe me if I say there’s nothing to see.” And if there is something there, you can investigate yourself. Sorry, Frisk. Their safety matters a hell of a lot more than your own.  
  
“shit.” Sans is displeased. “right. fine. just a quick look. then the two of you will stop, okay?”  
  
“Okay.” You squeeze his hand. “Sans… who was Gaster to you and Papyrus anyway?”  
  
“told ya our folks abandoned us in the capital.” His grin turns sad. “and i worked my tailbone off to keep us fed. one day i found myself landing an internship under him. he was an okay guy- a little lonely, i think. so i was being my usual charming self and bugged the shit out of him until he opened up to me. eventually pap got in on it too. he became… sort of a father figure slash brother combo to us. about broke my heart when i found out paps forgot all about him.”  
  
“...I’m sorry you lost him.” You whisper.  
  
“i’m sorry too.” Sans sighs, then stands up, sliding his phalanges away from yours. He digs into his pockets and pulls out a card. You take it.  
  
“When did they take my picture?” You ask, studying the laminated plastic. It looks just like the one Sans has in his workshop. Except, well, there’s a picture of you on it. It was taken before your altercation with Mettaton, you note. There’s no crack running down your eye.  
  
“probably the moment you stepped into alphys’ lab.” Sans shrugs and gives you a wink. “anyway, you can explore the core to your heart’s content tomorrow. we… kinda called it an early day. especially after she found out about that little tea party you had with king fluffybuns.”  
  
“Please tell me she’s not writing another story.” You beg.  
  
“no can do, buddy. ready to head home?”  
  
To your amusement, Sans teleports the both of you just outside the front door. He even takes extra care to check the handle, audibly breathing a sigh of relief when he finds no sock dangling there,  
  
“Is it safe to proceed?” You ask.  
  
“yeah. let’s head in.”  
  
The door opens and the two of you peek inside. What you see makes it hard to stifle a giggle.  
  
“You’re going to crush me!” Frisk exclaims.  
  
“NONSENSE, HUMAN. THE POINT OF THIS ENTIRE EXERCISE IS THAT I WILL NOT CRUSH YOU, NOR WILL YOU LET ME FALL.” Papyrus is standing, back to Frisk. His arms are crossed and he’s pouting.  
  
“Can’t we just get lost somewhere and have to depend on each other to find our way back?” Frisk helplessly asks, “Or maybe we should find some foam bats and hit each other with them?”  
  
“YOUR SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED, AND, THUSLY, DISCARDED.” Papyrus replies.  
  
“Wait, how about this? We puppysit for Dogaressa and learn how to settle our differences by co-parenting.”  
  
“WE BOTH KNOW WE HAVE SIMILAR PARENTING STYLES AND A DISAGREEMENT WOULD BE UNLIKELY.”  
  
“What are you two doing?” You ask, as Sans mutters to himself and shakes his head.  
  
“TRUST FALL!” Papyrus shouts and abruptly leans backwards.  
  
“Papyrus, wait!” Frisk cries out, their tiny arms jutting out to catch the giant skeleton by his shoulders. For a brief second, it seems the child actually did catch Papyrus. But then their knees buckle and they collapse on the floor. Papyrus yelps and falls further, the back of his skull landing squarely on the human’s stomach. “Oomph!”  
  
“I take it the two of you had another talk.” You sigh, wandering past the two knuckleheads.  
  
“YES. IT WAS QUITE PRODUCTIVE.” Papyrus responds, “WE HAVE DISCUSSED OUR FEARS AND ARE TAKING STEPS TO OVERCOME THEM! AND WE SHALL PREVAIL!”  
  
Sans says, wiping at the corner of his eye. “you two are so cool.”  
  
“I KNOW RIGHT?!”  
  
Frisk gives Sans a reluctant thumbs up.  
  
“so bones is coming to work with me tomorrow. i’m sure we’re all gonna have a blast.” He gives Frisk a stern look. Frisk turns their head to give you one full of betrayal. You shrug and pull out last night’s lasagna from the fridge.  
  
_“There are people who remember you, you know. People who miss you.” You are sitting in that armchair now. It’s still hard as a rock, but the floor is disintegrating and you just don’t trust their strength._  
  
_“Sure there are.” Gaster grumbles. It’s the first time he’s spoken since you showed up. You take this as a good sign._  
  
_“Sans remembers you.”_  
  
_“...My favorite intern. How could he…?”_  
  
_“You’re like a father figure to him, you know. And… I have a feeling you love him like a son.” You guess, “How sad he looked when I asked about you… those types of feelings are rarely one sided.”_  
  
_“You won’t give up, will you?” He sounds weary. Good._  
  
_“Well, I am that goat that’s trying to push a boulder across his pasture.” You shrug, kicking your legs up._  
  
_“And I have a feeling you consider me that boulder.”_  
  
_“Well, you’re certainly hard headed like one.” You comment._  
  
_“Well.” He sighs, “Then I shall see you soon. Have a good night, Bones.”_


	36. The Void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are so many versions of Gaster and I love them all in different ways. And now I've added this one to the bunch.

“Good morning, Frisk!” You say in a high pitched manner, barely holding in your snickers. It’s early in the morning. Frisk has already slept through two of their alarms  _ and  _ Papyrus throwing a tantrum, so you’re fairly sure they deserve what you’re about to do. Hovering over their prone body, in the air thanks to your magic, is that creepy doll you bought yesterday. “My name’s Chuckie! Wanna play?!”   
  
“Huh? What? A few more minutes…” Frisk sighs and turns over on their back. Slowly, their eyes open. You make the doll wave down at them. “A-ah!? What the heck?!” Startled, the child shouts and rolls over. The sheets wrap around their feet, making them stumble and fall off the bed. “Freaking frack!”   
  
You cackle from your position at the doorway. “Freakin’ frack? Is that what you kids like to say these days?”   
  
“Holy shit.” They yelp, staring up at the doll. You let your magic go and it plops on their chest. “Where did this come from?! It’s so… creepy!”   
  
“Found her yesterday.” You watch as the scowling child picks the doll up and throws it at you. You catch it with one hand.   
  
“Are you even supposed to be using your magic like that? So… frivolously?” They’re still grumpy, but there’s a hint of concern as well. You smile and shrug.   
  
“It’s better to try and test my limits. How else can we really know how well I am?” You lean against the doorframe, a nonchalant expression on your face. “So, are you ready to visit the core or what?”   
  
“Huh?” They are on their feet in an instant, “You mean it? But- I thought it would just be you?”   
  
“I’m sure Sans will understand.” You shrug again, “It’s not like he believes that Gaster is rescuable. As a matter of fact, he’s being kinda insistent about the guy being dead…”   
  
“Well… yeah.” Frisk frowns, “Wouldn’t you be too? Like, if someone came along and said ‘surprise, your uncle is alive’ you’d be shutting down too.”   
  
“Sometimes…” You look away, “I wish he was. Still alive. Maybe then I’d be able to get some answers.”   
  
“Okay, stop that.” The child snaps, giving you a brief hug around your waist. “No more sad. We gotta go rescue a monster.”   
  
Sans is already downstairs, a grim expression on his normally cheerful face. He gives the two of you a long, hard look before sighing. “bones knows the drill, but just to be sure- one good look around and the both of you will stop this nonsense, ‘kay?”   
  
“Yeah.” You nod along with Frisk’s much more frantic head movements.    
  
“alright.” The shorter skeleton relaxes a bit at your easy acceptance. You’d think he would know better by now, but you’re not questioning it. “today’s gonna be kinda boring anyway. we did the math already, and all that’s really needed now is to enter it into the computer.” He walks towards the kitchen, one hand gesturing for you and Frisk to follow. You give the child a confused look, but they just grin and grab your hand, dragging you after Sans.    
  
The last couple of times Sans teleported you, you were too busy burying your head into his jacket to really notice  _ how  _ this particular trick of his works. Now that you have a chance to actually observe everything, you’re going to take advantage.    
  
Turns out, to your disappointment, even with your eyes sockets wide open, you’re still not sure how it happens. It’s just… one moment you’re walking towards the kitchen, and in the next, you’re in a large, cold room. There’s a large computer monitor set up against a thick glass wall. Alphys is furiously typing in front of it, muttering softly to herself.   
  
“Wait, this is the core?” You blurt out, looking around. It looks more like another lab than anything else.   
  
“we can’t actually get any closer to the core.” Sans explains, and softly raps a fist against the glass. “this keeps us pretty safe from the heat. take a look.”    
  
You and Frisk exchange a glance and slowly approach. Sans stands aside, his arm brushing against yours. “Something tells me the glass is a recent addition.” You comment as the child presses their face against it.   
  
“nah, not really. it was installed a while ago, but other than regular maintenance, this place was basically deserted. all we really needed to do is monitor the temperature and add more ice as needed. now though…” Sans trails off, watching as Alphys double checks a calculation, “let’s just say we need a good vantage point. our equipment is delicate enough to note the slightest change, but sometimes you’ll get a much earlier warning sign from the machine itself. if there’s sparking, or the metal is visibly expanding… we gotta get the hell out of here.”   
  
“It’s huge!” Frisk exclaims, “Bones, look!”   
  
Sighing, you take a glance through the glass. And. Well. Wow.   
  
“It looks like something from a science fiction movie.” You comment, awestruck. Looming ahead is a giant generator. Surrounded by magma, its dark metal color is a stark contrast against the bright red. “It’s like the size of a building.”   
  
“well, it needs to be big enough to supply power to everybody in the underground.” Sans shoves his hands in his labcoat pockets. “all these years later, and we still haven’t come up with a better design.”   
  
“Sans.” Alphys interrupts, “Did you find the-”   
  
“yeah, it’s right here. like i told you yesterday.” Sans wanders over to the yellow lizard.    
  
“I could have sworn…” Weird. Alphys hasn’t stuttered once. She’s like a whole new monster. Science really is her element, it seems.   
  
“you’re getting tunnel vision, doc. maybe we should take a break.”   
  
“You just got here!”   
  
As the two begin to lightheartedly banter, Frisk makes their way around the room. There’s nothing much here, though. It’s another dead end, and sure, you’re disappointed. But maybe it’s for the best. Surely, the kid made it this far without resetting… who’s to say they ever will again?    
  
But there’s something loudly protesting in the back of your mind. Something that is telling you, right here and now, something is going to happen. Do not give up just yet. It’s a weird sensation, but you’re not one to shrug it off. Instead, you stay quiet and still, waiting for whatever is going to happen to finally do.   
  
And, moments later, there it is. A door that wasn’t here before. Right there, nestled in the glass. “Frisk.” You quietly get their attention, and point.   
  
“Are you kidding.” They hiss.   
  
“So, what now?” You mutter.   
  
“Well, we go in, of course.” Frisk nervously swallows.   
  
“Shouldn’t we show Sans first?” You cast an uncertain glance at the two scientists. So far they haven’t noticed what you are up to.    
  
“No.” They protest, “We should do this now, before they talk us out of it or something.”   
  
“Maybe they should.” Regardless, you take a step closer to the door. Frisk reaches out and grabs your wrist. “Maybe they should, like, study it or something? See if we can get Gaster out of there without us having to go in.”   
  
“Maybe.” Frisk doubtfully says, but this time they take the next step. “Or maybe before any of that happens, the door disappears and we won’t get another chance.”   
  
“Right.” You swallow. Now the two of you are right in front of the door. It’s old and worn, with dents in random areas like it has withstood countless beatings. You can’t tell if it’s made from wood or some other material. But you should be able to tell. It’s not like it’s hard to tell wood from metal, right? But you can’t. Your mind spins.   
  
“Well, here we go.” They sigh and reach forward.    
  
The door swings inwards just before they can grab the handle. Inside is… darkness? No. Much deeper than that. Even darkness has some sort of substance to it. It’s more like… the complete absence of… everything. You helplessly stare into it, utterly fascinated and repulsed all at once. Frisk’s hand slips away from your wrist.   
  
“I… I think I know this place.” They whisper. They sound horrified.    
  
A hand surges forward and grabs the front of your sweater. Before you can struggle, or even scream, it tugs and you are flying forward.    
  
The screams only start after the door closes behind you.   
  
“BONES!” Frisk shouts, and tries grabbing the door’s handle again.   
  
Only.   
  
There is no door.   
  
Just glass.    
  
With a loud sob, Frisk pounds a fist against the hard material.   
  
“kiddo, you okay?” Sans appears like magic besides the child, “what was that about bones? don’t tell me you’ve already graduated from the dog biscuits.”   
  
“Sans, Bones, he- there was a door!” They yelp. Sans only stares down at them, confused.   
  
“frisk, there ain’t no door there.” He admonishes, “maybe you should’ve hung out with grillby today instead of tagging along.”   
  
“But-” Frisk’s face falls once they realize what’s happened. “You don’t remember him, do you?”   
  
“him?” Sans squints down at the child.   
  
“N-never mind.” They wipe at their eyes, “I… I think I need a minute. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”   
  
Oh, Bones.   
  
They are so sorry.   
  
“LET GO!” You’re being dragged across a vast emptiness. You can’t see anything, you can’t smell anything (or breathe in the first place- there is no air and you’re kind of glad Frisk isn’t here with you just because of that), and except for your voice, you can’t even hear anything. The hand that is clutching at the front of your sweater doesn’t seem to be connected to anything- it’s weird and pale and there’s a hole right in the middle of their palm. When you grab at it, the texture doesn’t feel like skin. It’s almost like a porcelain doll’s.   
  
After what seems like forever, you stop. The hand lets go and you collapse on your knees on a floor that’s there but you can’t feel or see it, and oh my god you can’t  _ breathe. _   
  
“Skeleton Monster.” A voice erupts from… somewhere. The tone is almost mocking. “There is no need for something as inconsequential as oxygen for us.”   
  
“Where… am I?” You ask. Your voice is shaky and comes out thick and cracked and so unlike yourself.   
  
“I call it the void.” Somehow, you can hear footprints. You look around wildly. “A very apt name, if I do say so myself.”   
  
Leather boots appear in front of you. Glancing up, you spy dark pants, a long white lab coat, and a stern skeletal face glaring down at you. Two prominent cracks line his face, one descending through one eye socket, and the other ascending across the other. Despite this, you do recognize the figure from Sans’ pictures.    
  
“You know…” You huff out a slightly hysterical laugh, “You’re a real tough guy to track down.”   
  
He rolls his eye sockets, but offers you a hand up. Dr. Gaster is at least a foot taller than Papyrus, you realize. While you reach the younger skeleton’s shoulders, you are barely chest level with this one. It’s rather… intimidating.   
  
“You are staring.” He states.   
  
“You’re the only thing in this place I can see.” You say.   
  
“As so are you to me.” He cocks his head to the side, eyes narrowing, “Do you regret your decision yet? You will. Soon.”   
  
“Look, we need to get back to-” You helplessly glance around the area. How in the world are you going to get back home?   
  
“The most I’ve ever been able to do is create doors for my shadows to go through.” Gaster sighs, like that’s some sort of minor inconvenience instead of the big tragedy that it is. “But, perhaps, two SOULs are greater than one. Even if mine is...” He cringes. “Falling apart at the moment.”   
  
“How did you survive in here?” You edge closer towards him. The doctor shifts uncomfortably, but allows it.    
  
“The only reason we are alive is because of what we are.” Gaster reaches up as if to adjust something on his face, but stops. “I keep forgetting… I have no need for spectacles here.” He murmurs. “Skeletal beings are rather unique, it seems. Even monsters need things like… light. Sustenance. Companionship. Yet, here I am.”   
  
“But didn’t you just say that your SOUL is… falling apart? What does that even mean?!”   
  
“Being scattered across time and space… it is a lot more literal than metaphorical.” He sighs again.”Please, do me a great favor, and remember our previous conversations?”   
  
“Uh, what?” You blink up at him and he irritably places a palm against his forehead.   
  
“One moment.” And he just stays like that, frozen as a statue.    
  
“Not sure what you’re trying to do, doc, but-” You say after a few minutes of this, and then  _ reality shifts _ .   
  
The surrounding emptiness bends, curving inwards and outwards until you can briefly make out lines of green. Some of it looks like it could be written in hands, but everything is going too fast for you to make out one or two symbols. “Gaster, what the hell is this?” You demand to know, clutching at the sleeves of his lab coat like a scared toddler.   
  
“Shush.” He states, and he lowers his hand, glaring at the flashing green lines like they’re the most offensive thing in the world. Maybe they are, but then again, maybe Gaster is just that sort of skeleton. Sans did say the guy was kind of a grouch before, right? The previous royal scientist mutters something and makes a gesture. Something in the green morphs into another symbol. And… wait a minute.   
  
“You invaded my dreams?!” You accuse, feeling all sorts of violated.   
  
“I did not!” Gaster snaps back, “I merely contacted you the only way I could in this wretched place!”    
  
“To-mate-oh, to-mah-toe!” You flail incomprehensibly, “What’s that green stuff say anyway? I can’t even read any of it, but it looks kind of important?”   
  
“It’s a code. Similar to what a user would use to develop a computer program. It took almost all of my time here to decipher it enough to… manipulate a few things.” He coughs.   
  
“Like putting doors in places they don’t belong.”    
  
“And ‘invading’ your dreams.” He casually agrees. “Though it does seem that all of this is limited to the underground.”   
  
“Limited to the underground?” You question.   
  
“I can not reach anywhere outside of the barrier. I have a theory that this… this area that we are in, is actually the closest any one being can get to it before being repelled, and the code itself makes up the fabric that keeps the surface and us separated. Fascinating, really.”    
  
“Magic is just another branch of science, is that it?” You roll your eyes. “And that’s why that stuff here looks like a computer code?”   
  
“Precisely.”   
  
“Stars, you’re beginning to sound like my uncle.” You sigh, “Why can’t magic just be magic?”   
  
“If that were so, I’d be out of a job.”   
  
“Hate to break it to ya, but Alphys already kinda took your position.”   
  
“Drats. Foiled again,” Gaster dryly comments, and you have to bite back a laugh. “Now, pay attention. We are not alone here.”   
  
You look around. There’s still nothing to see here besides you and Gaster. “What are you talking about?”   
  
“I can only take a glimpse at these codes for a brief amount of time before they… appear.” He hesitates, “The last time I tested my limits, they… tore my SOUL. That was why, when we conversed in your dreams, the study was-”   
  
“Falling apart. Because that was your SOUL. Right.” You sigh. “So, what? You’re saying I’m stuck here now?”   
  
“Not necessarily. Alone, it is hard for me to concentrate solely on the code. But, perhaps, if you are to ‘watch my back’ and defend me from any intruders…” He trails off. “That will buy enough time for me to decipher the needed lines to get the two of us out of here.”   
  
“What exactly am I going to defend you against?” Your SOUL thumps wildly against your sternum. You haven’t felt this nervous since… forever.    
  
“Nothing too sinister.” His voice is dry and unamused. “Just some of the untamed wildlife that love to roam the void. I managed to tame a few of them before… but I made a foolish mistake and sent all of them to Sans. Maybe, if I kept at least one of them, I would have been out sooner. But I must admit. most of my concern was to keep him safe.”   
  
“Keep Sans safe? From what?”   
  
“...” Gaster looks away from you. “From that human you seem to be disproportionately fond of.”   
  
“Oh.” You deflate, wrapping your arms around yourself. “You mean, back when Frisk killed-”   
  
“I came upon them when they were mere pups.” Gaster continues, “So they were easy to tame. Easy to train. But now the adults know to keep their children away from me. Smart creatures. Nearly sentient, I would think.”   
  
“Okay, okay…” You close your eyes and abruptly panic when you realize there is literally no difference between keeping them open or closed save for the sight of Gaster. “I… I am not good at attacking, but I hear my shields are pretty good.”   
  
“Let us hope then,” Gaster returns his attention to the code, “That is enough.”   
  
Apparently that’s the end of the discussion. As he goes over lines and lines of green, you turn your attention to the vast emptiness surrounding you.    
  
Things live here, and they are dangerous. Dangerous enough to dust a monster who is not paying close enough attention. They must be horrifying, and the way Gaster described their offspring as ‘pups’? You have a feeling they must be like hellhounds or something. Maybe skeletal? Gaster did mention that the only reason you and him are alive in this place is because skeletons are so ‘unique’.   
  
Yeah… unique. You scoff. Like there isn’t an entire city of skeletons on the surface. Not like Gaster would know this anyway. Or maybe he does?   
  
“Hey, Gaster. Did you know that there are monsters living on the surface?” You casually ask.   
  
“Silence. Now is not the time for outlandish fairy tales.”   
  
Okay, so he doesn’t.   
  
“So…” You cringe when Gaster turns to briefly glare at you. “Look, I gotta ask since the kid isn’t here to. Can you take away their ability to reset?”   
  
“Insolent brat.” Gaster snarls. “The human clearly has no concept of what their determination is capable of.”   
  
“What?”   
  
“I did nothing to them.” He snaps, “I did not lay a single hand on them or their powers. Whatever it is that they did- they did it without my assistance. Surely, if they wish to never reset this timeline, they’ll find a way to destroy that ability all by their lonesome.”   
  
“Oh.”   
  
“Now, be silent and vigilant. We are already reaching the limit as to when they will appear.”   
  
Shrugging, you do as he asks.    
  
And say what you’d like about this skeleton, his calculations are on point.    
  
A large skull, about the size of a horse, lazily drifts into view. It doesn’t look like a dog’s skull, like you expected. Its overall shape actually looks more like something you’d picture a dragon’s to be. Its eye sockets have a dot of yellow in them, serving as a pupil much like your own.    
  
It eyes Gaster, jaw unhinging as a powerful growl erupts. The ex royal scientist stiffens, but does not look away from his work. It seems he decided to place his trust in your abilities. You’ll try not to let him down.    
  
You move towards the creature, and it turns its attention towards you. There’s a brief flicker of surprise passing through its features. It knows you don’t belong here. It knows you’re a new addition to the void. And, judging by the menacing snarl it aims towards you? It doesn’t like to be surprised all that much.   
  
Its jaw unhinges further. You can see light gathering towards the back of its mouth.    
  
You raise your shield just as it unleashes its attack.


	37. Gaster Blaster Master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where the author thinks they're very clever. huehuehue

_“You don’t remember him, do you?”_   
  
Frisk’s resigned words ring and echo through his skull. And, shit, just by saying that to him, of course he gets that empty feeling in his SOUL, the one that tells him there’s someone missing. But not just someone this time. Now it’s some-two.   
  
Sans looks over at Alphys, who pauses for long enough to spare a concerned glance towards the short skeleton. He gives her his best fake grin and says, “think you can do me a favor?”   
  
“D-depends.” Alphys stutters, defenses up. “W-what’s up?”   
  
“keep an eye on the kid tonight?” He nods towards Frisk, who is slumped on the floor, back pressing against the thick glass that separates them from the heat of the core. “i gotta go do something real fast.”   
  
“S-sans, what’s going on?” She presses, “E-everything was f-fine until Frisk…”   
  
“i know. that’s why i gotta go.” He gives her a serious look, “i’m figuring it all out, and need you here with them.”   
  
“O-okay.” She shakes her head, “J-just, keep me in the l-loop? I, er, have a bad feeling? A-about w-what’s g-going on?”   
  
“sure.” Sans says, and promptly disappears.   
  
He reappears right inside his workshop. If he wants to get to the bottom of this, and remember what he forgot, he’s going to have to go through his notes.   
  
A quick rummage through his drawer finds two notebooks- one is clearly older than the other. He takes the newer one, the one that’s solely dedicated to this timeline. Frisk hasn’t reset in so long that he needed to move all his notes. He remembers being relieved and kind of happy about that, knowing that Frisk is happy with the way things are now, living with him and Papyrus and attending school. Like a normal child.   
  
He opens the book and starts to quickly scan through the pages, eye sockets narrowing when he almost immediately spots a name that he doesn’t remember.   
  
“Bones.” Sans mutters, brow furrowing. There’s an entire section dedicated to this new monster, detailed from his physical features to the events that were altered by his presence. This… this skeleton lived with them? Like a part of the family? He scans through a paragraph, scoffs at the words ‘evil uncle?’ scrawled in the margins, and finally flips to the end. And, right there, in a handwriting that is not his own, are the words,  I’m starting to think you’re getting a little obsessed with me. Kinda creepy, Sans.  A little underneath that is a picture of you, grinning at the camera, Sans and Papyrus by your sides.   
  
And, fuck, that’s a punch right in the nonexistent gut. Like with Gaster, the memories are slowly coming back. Sans covers his grin with one hand and lets out a shuddering sigh. Did… did you really disappear just like his mentor? Stars, damn both you and Frisk for making him care! He made you PROMISE- Hell, you PROMISED to stop doing stupid shit!   
  
And you promised that you’d drop it if he let you take a look around. Sans groans and slumps against the counter. This is his fault, isn’t it? He shouldn’t have given in so easily.   
  
Damn your puppy dog eyes.   
  
“SANS!?” Papyrus is suddenly right in front of him. Odd, Sans thinks. He didn’t even hear his brother come in. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE AT THE CORE?”   
  
“paps.” Sans sighs, shaking his head, “yeah. just… needed to be reminded of something.”   
  
“OH. DID… DID FRISK DO ANY OF THAT TIMEY-WIMEY STUFF WE FORBADE THEM FROM?” The younger brother asks, face suddenly tight with anxiety.   
  
“nah. it’s, well…” There is no point hiding anything from Papyrus anymore. He promised that he wouldn’t. So, instead of distracting his brother with a bad joke, he hands the spiral notebook over. “what’re you doing here anyway?” He asks, carefully watching as Papyrus reads.   
  
“I WANTED TO DROP OFF A LETTER FOR MYSELF.” Papyrus answers, “LIKE I DO EVERY DAY.”   
  
“oh, right. almost forgot about that. uh, i started to remember when I read that note at the end.” Sans hints. Papyrus obediently flips to the last page, face twisting when he spies the picture.   
  
“BONES…” Papyrus gasps, “WHERE IS HE?! WHY DID I FORGET-!”   
  
“it happens sometimes bro.” Sans slides down, spine against the counter, until he’s sitting on the floor. It’s a move you like to do instead of just sitting on the ground like a normal person. Sans understands why now. It’s a lot easier than the normal way. “when a monster is forgotten like this… something bad happened. i don’t know what to do, paps.” He’s going to have to get Frisk to talk. Just the thought of it has him tired. But, if they thought they found a way to find Gaster, maybe they can find Bones too?   
  
No, stop that. Don’t hope. It just hurts in the end.   
  
Papyrus sighs and sits down next to the other. He wraps a long arm around Sans’ shoulders and pulls the smaller skeleton closer. “IT WILL BE OKAY. I AM. UNCERTAIN AS TO HOW IT WILL. BUT IT WILL.”   
  


* * *

  
There’s a pack of them, surrounding the pair of you like wolves. When two approach, the other three hang back, watching for any openings to exploit. You’re beginning to think you’re in way over your head.   
  
The first energy beam was like a test. It didn’t shatter your shield at all. Rather than trying that particular attack again, the two creatures in the foreground started to furiously slam against different parts of the shield. It’s a methodical, thorough activity that gives you the impression they’re looking for weak points.   
  
“They only appear when one attempts to view the code.” Gaster mutters as you quickly expand your shield, knocking them back. One even yelps in surprise, to your satisfaction. “I assume they are meant to guard the barrier so that any monsters that manage to enter this place can not simply free us from the mountain.”   
  
“So, what, these things were created by the human magic users?!” One manages to catch you by surprise- sneaking up behind you. It must’ve gone around your shield while the other two distracted you. You conjure a bone, long and thick, and shove it vertically into its gaping jaw just as it is about to chomp on you. It attempts to close its mouth, and abruptly shrieks when it realizes it’s unable to now.   
  
“Or these creatures were once monsters, trapped here for centuries, devolving into the beasts they are today.” Gaster scans yet another line, eye sockets frantically going over symbols only he can understand.   
  
“You’ve got a lot of theories, doc.”   
  
“In this place, I’ve had nothing but time to theorize.” He grunts in satisfaction. “Well, well.”   
  
“Well, what?!” You snap, watching as the two trapped behind your shield continue to slam themselves against it. Holy shit, they’re relentless. The one with the bone is violently shaking itself in an attempt to dislodge the obstruction, completely ignoring you now.   
  
“It appears I have found what we need.” He sounds pleased with himself. “Just a little while longer, and we may yet see our home again.”   
  
That’s when your vision goes black.   
  
...   
  
You come back to yourself. You don’t know how long time has passed between fighting off these… void monsters... and now.   
  
One of them passes you, one blazing eye looking you up and down before moving ahead. It doesn’t look angry anymore. As a matter of fact, they look smug if anything else. Your feet sway below you, and you realize with surprise that you’re dangling from one of their jaws. It’s actually holding you by the neck of your sweater, like you’re a kitten or something.   
  
Taking a look around, you see five of them, including the one holding you. They surround you in a loose circle, occasionally grunting or growling at each other.   
  
Gaster is nowhere to be seen. Crap. Did they dust him? How are you going to get out of here without the scientist?!   
  
“Gaster!” You frantically call out. A creature hisses at you as the one holding you up violently jostles you. A warning, you think. They’re telling you to keep quiet.   
  
Eventually the group stops, and you’re gently deposited on what passes as the ‘ground’ in this place. The giant skull that transported you firmly nudges your side until you stumble and collapse on your knees. Satisfied, it settles down right by your side, softly grumbling. The others soon follow. You guess it’s their time to rest.   
  
Sighing, you shift until you’re sitting cross legged and try to ignore the observant eyes watching you.   
  
Meanwhile, the ex-royal scientist is attempting to track you down. Because of the very nature of the void, it is close to impossible to track anything down using conventional means. Footprints, for example, are simply nonexistent. Following sound yields varying levels of success, but you haven’t made any noise as of yet. Or, if you are screaming for help, he is too far away to hear it. Instead, the skeleton has resorted to following the small wisps of magical residue that monsters naturally shed. Your magic is shedding significantly less than what one would normally, but it is enough to go on. Still… it is rather concerning. He’ll have to make sure you go for a check up once the two of you are out of danger.   
  
Gaster sighs, pitching the bridge of his nose canal as he strides through the void. He curses you for being so blindsided. How in the world did you manage to get kidnapped by a gang of blasters?! It’s not like those creatures are capable of rational thought, or even worse, premeditated action! They are creatures of opportunity- they proved that often enough, after all. The older skeleton winces as his SOUL twinges, a familiar but sharp pain that reminds him that time is running out.   
  
For all his talk of being able to survive in this… void, in the end, that’s all it was. Words. Pretty, meaningless words meant to build up his crumbling bravado. He knows that he will be dust if he stays here any longer, and he knows that you would follow soon after. That’s why he attempted to scare both you and that brat away. It is a waste of… potential. To have more than just himself perishing in this blackness. And, despite what his outward demeanor broadcasts to others, he does try his best to protect those he cares for.   
  
But it’s not you, or the human child he is trying to protect. Oh, no. It’s the brothers that have his full attention. And from his observations, the two outsiders have become near and dear to Sans and Papyrus. And if you are important to them, then you are important to him. And you best be thankful, he snarls to himself. If it weren’t for your untimely capture, he’d be out of the void by now.   
  
Time is meaningless here. For all the timelines that the human child went through, Gaster has lived. He did not age either, as far as he can tell. If it weren’t for the slow decay of his SOUL, the old scientist would assume that being here would make him immortal. A blind and deaf god swimming in a sea of black.   
  
Without keeping an eye on the outside, Gaster has no definitive way to count the seconds, minutes, or hours that have passed since your capture. He can only hope he finds you before he loses the precious code that can save you both.   
  
Gaster does not bother trying to calculate exactly when the deafening silence of the void gave way to that of the violin. It is a change, welcome or not, and he finds himself trailing after the notes like a moth to candlelight.   
  
The notes grow louder. It’s a song that he has never heard before. Nevertheless, he appreciates its beauty. There aren’t many monsters that bother to learn how to create music, or any of the other arts. He can not blame them. There is little motivation to go around creating things for the sake of creation. Not when there are homes that need building, inventions that need to come to fruition. Down here, in the underground, creativity is needed to improve lives, not enrich them. And while those two words may seem similar enough. Gaster knows there is an important distinction that separates the two.   
  
That never stopped him from enjoying the classical music Sans once gifted him, however. When he’s in a jovial enough mood, he can even admit that the music helped his concentration.   
  
He expected to find you. Eventually. But not so soon, and in the position that you are now in.   
  
There is a circle of blasters quietly resting around your standing form. You are the one playing the violin, he realizes. He is surprised. His previous observations about you (loud, annoying, bullheaded, uneducated… the list goes on) seem to be unfounded. Gaster looks closer and realizes that the creatures of the void are sleeping. How interesting. He did not know that they are capable of such a thing.   
  
“This is the most fascinating thing to have ever happened to me while here.” Gaster comments.   
  
“What in the hell are you talking about?!” You hiss, pausing your movements. One of the creatures snuffles and shifts closer to you. Before it can fully awaken, you soothingly pat its snout until it falls back into a deep slumber.   
  
“Have they harmed you?” Gaster asks, and you shrug.   
  
“Other than knocking me out? No.” You mutter, “You took forever to find me.”   
  
“My apologies.” The other skeleton sardonically replies. “It is hard to track down individuals here. Even when I tried tracking your magic- it was rather muted. Surely you did not give it your all back there. How on earth did you run out of magic that quickly?”   
  
“It’s… a long story.” You say defensively. Gaster frowns. It appears he insulted you. That wasn’t his intention. “Anyway, they tried to feed me this weird gassy stuff and every time I wandered off they picked me up and put me back.”   
  
“And that’s all?” That doesn’t sound right. They attacked him, after all. Why didn’t they try to maul you? Why did they try to _feed_ you?! Gaster thinks long and hard about this.   
  
“They picked me up by the back of my sweater.” You continue, rubbing the back of your neck. “And one of them I think tried to _nuzzle me to sleep._ Except, you know, they look like giant harbingers of death, so It was terrifying.” Gaster’s eye sockets light up in realization. “What?”   
  
“They think you’re my child, and took you to replace the children I took from them.” Gaster looks too gleeful for your comfort. “When I thought they were just almost sentient, I was mistaken. It seems they have a concept of justice!”   
  
“Well, that’s fine and dandy and all.” You snap, “But how does that help us get out of here?!”   
  
“Why were you playing music for them?” He demands to know, “How did you know that it would pacify them?”   
  
“Every time I tried to talk, or yell, they growled at me.” You helplessly shrug, “So, I figured, hey, might as well try? And maybe you’d hear it and help me? Except, they started falling asleep.”   
  
“So, it is true.” Gaster mutters, utterly fascinated with the scene before him. “Music does indeed soothe the savage beast.”   
  
You impatiently snap, “Gaster, shut the fuck up and rescue me.”   
  
“Rude.” But Gaster is already slowly approaching the pack. “Honestly, why can’t you just walk towards me?”   
  
“Every time I stray too far, they-” You pause when a sudden yip cuts through the conversation. A flicker of movement by the other skeleton’s legs catch your eyes and you glance down to see a much smaller version of the creatures surrounding you. “Shit, where’d that come from?”   
  
“Oh.” Gaster looks down, “One of their pups. How quaint- OW!” It proceeds to gnaw on his ankle. “Come here, runt!”   
  
As he wrestles with the pup, the others slowly rouse. “Uh, Doc?”   
  
“One moment.” He grunts back at you, “I am currently occupied.”   
  
The one directly besides you blinks awake. As it takes in the sight of Gaster, a low rumble escapes it. You can see the start of its beam attack stirring within its large jaws. Without even thinking about it, you slap a hand over the top of its snout and snap, “Quit it!” Whether it’s from surprise or understanding, the creature snaps its jaw shut and gives you a baleful glare.   
  
“Hmph.” Gaster finally wrestles his ankle free from the pup’s attack. Bending down, he grabs the small, floating skull and picks it up so that they are face to face. “You are quite lucky I respect and admire one so young willing to defend it’s territory.” He makes a face when the young creature licks his cheek with a long, glowing tongue. “Bad. bad pup! That is not sanitary.”   
  
The rest of the pack is awake now, silently watching the old scientist. One attempts to approach, but again, the one next to you growls and puts a stop to it. The way they’re behaving… you glance from them to Gaster, and back to them again.   
  
It kind of reminds you of a stand off. Like in one of those action movies, where the bad guy has a gun to the sidekick’s head, but then the hero shows up to put a gun to that guy’s head. A lot of talking happens until the main character gets fed up with it all and uses the element of surprise to beat the bad guy up.   
  
You’re pretty sure Gaster isn’t the good guy.   
  
What you are sure of, however, is that you need to get out of here, and fast. Before Gaster does something stupid again. Like kidnap another void creature’s child.   
  
“Okay.” You announce, clapping your hands together. “We’re gonna do a trade.”   
  
“A trade?” Gaster smirks. “Really now? And how are we supposed to convey such a message to the blasters?”   
  
“It’s easy. Give them the pup.” You gesture to the child, who is happily gurgling up at the scientist. “And once they have ‘em, I join you.”   
  
“What if they don’t give you back.”   
  
“It’s not like they’re trying to kill me. Somehow, I think all their anger is directed at you.” To prove this point, you pat another one. It doesn’t pay you any mind.   
  
Gaster clutches at the pup, a boney hand stroking the top of its skull. “But-”   
  
“Are you seriously considering taking this one too?” You snap, getting even more exasperated when the other skeleton actually starts pouting. “Look, you can play with the ones you sent Sans once we’re out of here, okay?”   
  
“Fine.” Clutching the small creature to his chest, he approaches the pack. The adults chirp curiously at each other, but part from their protective circle so that he can stand directly in front of you and the one that has stayed by your side since they abducted you. “I assume this is the leader?”   
  
“I dunno.” You shrug. Gaster gives you a dry look, but releases the pup. It darts towards the adult immediately, nuzzling under its chin before zooming off… somewhere. “Alright. Now, let’s go.”   
  
Except, as soon as you attempt to leave the blaster’s side, it squeezes itself between you and Gaster, making a soft clicking noise. It gives you a look, then another, nastier one, at the old royal scientist. You can’t help but laugh.   
  
“It’s okay.” You mutter, giving the thing another pat on its snout. This is one of the weirdest things that has ever happened to you, but you kind of understand what’s happening now. Whatever these creatures are, wherever they came from- they’re not some beasts that are ready to annihilate everything in their path. They’re just creatures, surviving together like a family. And Gaster, to them, is-   
  
“Fascinating.” Gaster murmurs once again as the leader gives in and lets you pass. “If it wasn’t prudent to leave this place immediately, I would be very tempted to observe these creatures in a more academic setting, instead of…” He coughs. “Fighting for my life.”   
  
“Whatever you say, Robert Neville.” You clap him on his upper arm, “So, we getting out of here or what?”   
  
“Oh, right!” He clears his throat, “I found what I needed to make a much more… permanent door. This way, please.”   
  
It’s getting a lot easier to travel through the void. Your steps feel lighter, at least. But maybe that’s because you know you’re going home soon.   
  
You hope you didn’t make Sans, Frisk, or Papyrus worry too much.


	38. In Which Your Terrible Taste in Horror Movies Scars Sans for Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans doesn't like jump scares or martyrs, Gaster tries to sacrifice himself in an exasperatingly heroic way, and in the background Alphys introduces Frisk to Mew Mew Kissy Cutie.

Papyrus sighs as he sits on his computer chair. Normally, he would swivel around in a circle a few times before actually going on the underweb and updating his status, but he just isn’t feeling it tonight. See, for the first time in a long while, he finds himself alone in his bedroom. Sure, Frisk is still here, alive and well. But Sans left them in the care of Alphys for the night. Normally, Papyrus would not understand the need to have space put between him and the human. Well, it’s also distressingly normal for the tall skeleton to be out of the loop in regards to Sans’ private matters.   
  
For the first time in a long while, Sans gave his brother the truth. All of it. Not the bare bones he may need to satisfy the other’s curiosity. His poor brother shouldered the equivalent of years living in the same timeline over and over again, alone. Truly, Papyrus admires such strength, even if Sans did so needlessly. And he is certain that Sans would be shouldering this burden alone now if it weren’t for… well, you.   
  
You convinced Sans to open up to Papyrus, and for that he will be forever grateful. But that’s not all you did. Somehow, you managed to worm your way into this household as if you belonged here, with them, all along. You became another brother to Papyrus, and if he isn’t mistaken, you’ve certainly become one to Sans. This is. Just not fair!   
  
Because you’re now gone. Erased. Forgotten, if not for Sans’ workshop and his meticulous notes. And stars know it isn’t actually the human’s fault that they are in the position they are in, but if only they didn’t insist on visiting the core-!   
  
No, Papyrus firmly tells himself. There is no use for blame. Frisk is hurting too. He loves Frisk, remember? It is better for everyone to continue being supportive, and mourn appropriately. After all, Papyrus knows you wouldn’t want any of them to suffer your loss forever. You’d want them to continue on living their lives.   
  
Papyrus takes a deep breath. It’s good that Frisk is with Alphys. That way, he can gather strength on this night, and be there for them tomorrow. Sans is probably doing the same thing as well.    
  
Leaning forward, Papyrus mindlessly taps on the keyboard, swiftly navigating to his friends page. He forces a chuckle when he spies a selfie of Alphys wearing cat ears, and a subdued Frisk next to her with a forced smile on their face. It’s nice of her, he figures, to try and cheer the child up, even if she doesn’t know why they’re sad.   
  
Pulling up his front page, he begins to type a simple update. He’s not quite sure what he should say, though. Something uplifting, perhaps? Oh! A picture of the latest dish he and Grillby worked on should do the trick. It’s simple, and he doesn’t have to put as many words as usual, since the picture is worth a thousand, after all!   
  
Just as he’s about to pull up his photo gallery to choose the one with the best lighting, his screen shimmers. Papyrus pauses. Did he imagine it? Maybe he needs to go to sleep earlier than usual today…   
  
The computer monitor shuts off. Papyrus slowly scoots his chair away from the desk. “S-SANS?!” He calls out. Suddenly, he hears white noise coming from downstairs and Sans’ surprised shout. Then the sound of glass breaking.   
  
Fearing his brother may be in trouble, Papyrus darts out the door and down the stairs. He feels relief when he spies Sans, unharmed even though he has a tight grip on a bone and is in a fighting stance that is really… unlike him. At his side is the giant skull he sometimes likes to summon. It turns to acknowledge Papyrus, then wanders off to bury itself in the snow.   
  
…   
  
Wait a second.   
  
The television is gone. And so is the living room wall.   
  
“SANS!” Papyrus shouts for his attention, now very concerned. What on earth possessed his brother to destroy the house?!   
  
“something was coming out of the tv.” Sans says, voice strained.   
  
“WHAT?!” Papyrus squints at the space the television used to be in. “I- SANS, ARE YOU OKAY? THIS IS VERY… STRANGE.”   
  
“i know what i saw, paps.” Sans says, trembling. “i turned on the tv, and there was static, and then an arm came out-”   
  
“PERHAPS,” Papyrus can’t believe he’s about to say this, “YOU NEED SOME SLEEP, BROTHER.”   
  
“are you freaking kiddin’ me?” Sans laughs, “we’ll make a funny bones out of you yet.”   
  
“I’LL JUST… PATCH THIS UP.” Papyrus sighs.   
  
“i wasn’t imagining things.” His brother continues to argue.   
  
“RIGHT. OF COURSE NOT.” The taller skeleton snaps, “OBVIOUSLY, THE LADY SADAKO DECIDED TO PAY YOU A VISIT.”   
  
“that name is forbidden in this household.” Sans hisses.   
  
Sans hovers behind Papyrus as he boards up the wall despite his orders to go to bed. Whatever it was his big brother thought he saw… it must’ve really spooked him. Luckily, it only takes about half an hour to drag the spare wooden boards from his toolshed and use them to close off the house from the cold winds of Snowdin. By the time he’s finished, Sans is swaying lightly on his feet.   
  
“A COMMENDABLE EFFORT, TRYING TO STAY UP WITH ME, BROTHER.” Papyrus gently smiles and scoops his brother up. Sans groans and wraps his arms around the other skeleton’s neck. “BUT IT IS TIME FOR SLEEP.”   
  
Sans doesn’t comment when Papyrus enters his own room and deposits the smaller skeleton on the racecar bed. Instead he grabs the blanket and curls it around himself. Just because it annoys Papyrus, he also kicks a leg out and lets it rest over the edge.   
  
“SANS.” Papyrus warns.   
  
“nothing scary under the bed, right?” Sans cheekily grins up at him.   
  
“YOU KNOW YOUR TOES ARE THE SAFEST WHEN UNDER THE COVERS, YOU CRETIN.” His phone rings, and giving his still smiling brother a mock glare he answers, “GRILLBY?:   
  
_ Is the electricity cut off at your place, too?  _ Grillby sounds worried.  _ Lesser Dog reported seeing a beam of light and now Snowdin has gone dark. _ __   
__   
“GOOD GOING SANS.” Papyrus growls.   
  
“what?” Sans pops up from his cocoon.    
  
“THE POWER IS DOWN.”   
  
_ Sans did this?  _   
  
“I DO NOT KNOW.” Papyrus knits his brows in confusion. “I MEAN, THE FIRST BEAM IS HIS FAULT, BUT-”   
  
“it didn’t hit any major power lines.” Sans protests, flopping on his back.   
  
_ I… I see.  _ Grillby clears his throat.  _ I will be going door to door to offer my flames to those who need it. Can I see you tomorrow? _ __   
__   
“THAT IS MOST AGREEABLE.” Papyrus says, and ends the call. “WHY DO WE STILL HAVE POWER IF THE REST OF SNOWDIN-”   
  
“got a backup generator in the workshop.” Sans explains, “hadn’t had to use it in a while. kinda surprised it still works.” When Papyrus moves to join him for sleep, he adds, “bro, your computer’s on.”   
  
“NO, IT WAS OFF BEFORE I WENT DOWNSTAIRS-” But he turns and finds that Sans is right. His desktop is on, showing his front page. “HOW PECULIAR.” Papyrus hesitantly goes to shut his computer down for real, and stops when the screen once again shimmers.   
  
“everything okay there, bro?” Sans asks, the sleepy haze in his eye sockets fading away to alertness. The screen abruptly turns to static.    
  
Despite mocking his brother for it just minutes earlier, the taller skeleton feels a spike of fear that leaves his body feeling cold. “THE RING HAS COME TO KILL US ALL!” Papyrus shrieks and jumps behind Sans on the bed.   
  
“holy shit.” Sans breathes, and Papyrus sees he’s raising his arm, one eye blasting yellow and blue. His brother is about to summon another blaster!   
  
“NO DON’T!” Papyrus clutches at his arm, “IF YOU TAKE OUT THIS SIDE OF THE HOUSE TOO, OUR INSURANCE RATES WILL GO UP TENFOLD!”   
  
“we don’t have homeowner’s insurance in snowdin.” He lowers his arm, though.

 

“REALLY?!” Papyrus incredulously asks, “I AM TRYING TO TALK YOU DOWN FROM BLOWING UP OUR HOUSE AND  _ THAT  _ IS THE DETAIL YOU FOCUS ON?”   
  
Sans is about to reply- no doubt with an aggravating pun or two, but chokes on air when the static expands. The monitor is the same size it’s always been, but the static itself is spreading from the screen and edging past the surrounding plastic. This isn’t static at all, the skeletons thinks. It’s something  _ more. _   
  
Papyrus clutches at his upper arm harder, and Sans can tell he is afraid. So is he. But underneath that fear is curiosity. Sure, on the surface the two brothers seem to be drastically different, but they do share more than just the same parents. There’s no way either of them are going to run away from… whatever this is. They’ll deal with it, friend or foe.   
  
“let’s see what happens i guess.” Sans mutters, reluctantly shrugging the blankets off.   
  
“YES.” Papyrus narrows his eyes at the static, fingers curling as if he were already holding onto a bone.   
  
Funny, Sans thinks as he stands on the mattress. Papyrus is already standing on the floor. Like this, Sans is a little bit taller than his brother. It hasn’t been that way since that last growth spurt.   
  
The static stops growing once it reaches the size of a big screen television. Then a soft clicking sound can be heard, as if someone is changing channels. Sans wrinkles his forehead, mind jumping from one explanation to the next, and finally settling on ‘something’s looking for the right frequency’. What that ‘frequency’ is, he doesn’t know.    
  
A skeletal hand bursts from the static. Sans recoils, back hitting the wall just as Papyrus surges forward with a long, sturdy bone materializing in his left hand. “believe me now, bro?” His brother pauses, holding the weapon outwards in a defensive manner.   
  
“I… BELIEVED YOU.” Papyrus feebly protests, “OR, TO BE MORE PRECISE- I BELIEVED THAT YOU BELIEVED THAT IS WHAT YOU SAW.”   
  
“fine, i’ll take what i can get.” Sans watches, jaw clenching as a wrist is revealed. A familiar purple sleeve is encircling it… on closer inspection, he can also see familiar golden stitching. “papyrus- i think that’s-”   
  
“THINK THAT’S WHAT?” Papyrus asks, but Sans already darted in front of him. “NYEH?!”    
  
“buddy, you have a lot of explaining to do.” Sans growls, and he is so sure now. Somehow, Frisk was right. There is a way to get there, get to that in between place, and he’s not really gone,  _ of course not,  _ all Sans has to do is-   
  
Sans grabs that hand, cursing himself for not realizing this earlier. No such thing as coincidence, right? The very day you disappear,  _ something  _ tries to burst through the television? Of course the two are connected, and it’s just. So damn lucky.    
  
Your hand grasps back and Sans pulls. Sometime during this Papyrus gets the idea and joins in on this, and together the two slowly pull you back from the void.   
  
It’s just like the spots in Waterfall where the quicksand is. There’s been many times a monster would get themselves stuck in the stuff. No casualties that he’s aware of- the pits are not deep enough to drown anyone. Just deep enough to make getting them out a struggle.   
  
Papyrus grunts and reaches into the static. “paps-” Sans warns.   
  
“IT’S FINE.” His brother answers through gritted teeth, “I JUST NEED A BETTER HOLD… THERE.”   
  
Sans turns Papyrus’ SOUL blue anyway, making sure his feet will stay on the ground. Nobody else will be falling into that place if he can help it.    
  
“GOOD THINKING, BROTHER!” Papyrus grunts, taking advantage of Sans’ magic by engaging his full attention on extracting you from the static.    
  
They’re up to your humerus when they feel a sudden SNAP, akin to a rubber band being wound back and released, and you’re hurtling through. You barrel into Papyrus, and Sans lets go of his SOUL fast enough that he falls backwards onto the floor safely.    
  
It takes a split second for Sans to scan you, making sure you’re still in one piece before turning his attention back to the still open area. The static has died down some, and all he can really see is a deep, deep black, but then there’s a figure doubled over as if in pain. They’re close enough that Sans might be able to reach out and touch them.   
  
“g? that you?” Sans calls, and the figure jerks up.   
  
“This rip must be closed. Ah, well. I had hoped that it would be possible for the both of us to go through, but it appears not.” Holy hell, it really is Gaster. A lot more tired and strained than usual, but Sans would be able to recognize that voice anywhere.    
  
“i think i owe that kid like. a lot of hotcats.” Sans says, feeling faint. A small part of him is still amazed that Frisk was right all along about this. A little guilty too, if he’s honest with himself. What kind of guy he must be, to give up on an old friend so easily?   
  
“It is very nice to see you again, Sans. Farewell.” Wait. What? No, that’s not right. There is no way in hell is he letting Gaster go now.    
  
You can throw a lot at the guy. A mass murdering kid, fine. Living through the same period of time over and over for years? Sure. Grillby ran out of ketchup? Shit, okay, he’ll pout, but he’ll go for mustard in a pinch, Those are all relatively small but serious things that have been thrown at him time and time again. But this.   
  
This is new.   
  
This is a chance to make things just a little bit more right in his world.   
  
And it’s  _ just like Gaster,  _ isn’t it, to give up once he achieves his goal. He knows the gruff doctor is only willing to put in the effort to save you. The old bastard loves to martyr himself, doesn’t he? Well, not this time old man.   
  
“oh, hell no.” Sans thrusts his hand out, shuddering in revulsion at the feel of the darkness enveloping his bones. How in the world did he manage to be in this place for as long as he has Sans will never know, but that’s not something to ponder right now.    
  
Sans cringes once he manages to target his old mentor’s SOUL. It is wounded, raw and delicate. But he can’t be too careful right now. He just needs to get him to safety.   
  
Gaster cries out, his SOUL throbbing painfully within his chest cavity. Sans winces in sympathy, but jerks his hand back in a ‘c’mere’ motion. His body jerks backwards.   
  
“i don’t know who you think you are,” Sans angrily says, and with another surge of magic manages to make Gaster pass through with a lot less hassle than you. “that you can randomly show up after literally wiping your own existence just to say goodbye, but you ain’t it.” With another angry swipe of his arm, the ex royal scientist lands on Papyrus’ bed with a loud groan.   
  
With the two outsiders gone, the rip in time and space slowly closes. Soon enough there will be no evidence that this ever happened.   
  
“BONES? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!” Papyrus asks, and Sans swings his head to look over at you and his brother. He is on his knees, arms wrapped tightly around you. If you needed air, Sans would be a lot more concerned right now.   
  
“I saw the face of death.” You rasp, “And it was a temmie.”   
  
“OH, SO YOU ARE FINE THEN. WHAT A RELIEF.”   
  
“gaster, are you in any danger of turning to dust right about now?” Sans feels the need to ask, eye sockets darting to watch his old mentor dramatically flail against the mattress.   
  
“I- I do not believe so.” The older skeleton manages to push himself halfway up, then pauses as he takes in his surroundings. “...Why am I in a children’s bed?”   
  
“THAT IS NOT A CHILDREN’S BED.” Papyrus haughtily informs Gaster, “I WAS INFORMED THAT CHILDREN’S BEDS ARE CONSIDERED A SIZE ‘TWIN’. THIS IS CLEARLY A SIZE ‘QUEEN’!”   
  
“everyone here is grounded forever.” Sans growls, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed. He has to get out of here for a little while. “papyrus, don’t let either of them out of your sight.”   
  
“SANS- WAIT A MOMENT, PLEASE!”   
  
But Sans is already gone.


	39. This Is Really Chapter 38.5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I like keeping my chapters all the same-ish length, save for special occasions. So this chapter really just concludes the whole "Save Gaster" sidequest that Frisk wanted to do (even if they were excluded yet again from doing the thing). It's kinda funny... after this chapter, we only have a few things left to do in the underground. Didn't know it would take this long, but I don't regret it.
> 
> I call Gaster's personality the "benevolent dick". Let's see if I can do that justice.

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.   
  
“ER, BONES?”   
  
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.   
  
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING.”   
  
“Leave him alone, Papyrus.” Gaster is still lounging on the racecar bed, an arm crossed over his face. “He is simply reacquainting himself with breathing. There was no need for that in the void.”   
  
“And ambient sounds. Can’t forget those.” You say. Papyrus’ arms are still encircling you, and you’re both still on the floor, but you’re not protesting. It’s nice, to feel grounded. “Couldn’t hear anything unless we were the ones making noise. You used to the colors yet, Gaster?”   
  
“I forgot what red looks like.” He groans in response. “Was it always this intense?”   
  
“BONES, WE ARE GOING TO STAND UP NOW.” Papyrus says, adjusting his grip on you. In one swift motion he stands, allowing you to wrap your arms and legs around him. With a soft, satisfied grunt, he walks over to his bed and settles at the foot. “G-GASTER, WAS IT? IT SEEMS I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YET I DO NOT KNOW? IT IS VERY STRANGE, THIS FEELING.”   
  
“It might take a while for you to truly remember me.” He murmurs, chancing a glance at the two of you. “I… I have been gone for some time, after all.”   
  
“I ONLY HAD TO LOOK AT SANS’ NOTES TO REMEMBER BONES.” Papyrus pats the top of your skull. “PERHAPS I NEED TO LOOK AT THE NOTES ON YOU AS WELL? BUT- HOW COME SANS REMEMBERS YOU?”   
  
“Sans was… intimately involved with my research.” Gaster replies, “All voluntarily, of course, but some side effects must have occurred.”   
  
“You experimented on Sans?” You ask, pulling away to make a face at the old skeleton.   
  
“Goodness, so protective aren’t you?” He chuckles, “No, I’ve never experimented on him.”   
  
“lemme guess- you’re not counting the time you wanted me to taste those cookies a secret admirer left you.” Turning, you see Sans standing there as if he never left. Behind him is a confused looking Alphys. She is clutching a distressingly familiar medical bag in her claws.   
  
“I needed to know if it was tampered with!” Gaster frowns, “And may I remind you, I was about to call the royal guards in to investigate how they got inside of my office in the first place, but you didn’t want to waste our taxpayer’s  _ gold. _ ”   
  
y’know how my workshop is, right?” Sans changes the subject, a weary look on his face. You have a feeling this isn’t the first time they’ve had this discussion. Even Papyrus has a put upon look about him that swiftly changes to confusion once he realizes he doesn’t even know why he’s irritated in the first place. “we made it. it was supposed to work like a safe room, so we can observe time anomalies in a secure place.”   
  
“T-time anomalies?” Alphys gasps, “W-what in the world-”   
  
“all purely theoretical.” Sans cuts her off, “it was just something to play around with on our downtime. except, well, then this whole thing happened.” He gestures at Gaster. “and suddenly we’re out a royal scientist. by the way, think you can give him and bones a once over? they’ve been through… a lot.”   
  
“C-could you be any less specific?” Alphys huffs, but makes her way over to Gaster’s side anyway. “S-so, what h-happened? R-really. I-it might be important for me to know.”   
  
“I ripped a hole to a… reality that exists in between the underground and the barrier.” Gaster seems hesitant about his explanation. “A very dark place that is beyond your senses.”   
  
“D-darker, yet darker?” Alphys questions, ruffling through her bag. “I, um, read those r-reports. You… you really are the last royal scientist, aren’t you?”   
  
“...Are you actually a medical doctor?”    
  
“B-between Bones and y-you now? I m-may as well be.” She laughs, taking out that tablet she likes to use to scan your magic. You curiously watch as she works. Gaster, however, keeps his eyes averted and only occasionally does he take a glance at Sans.   
  
You hesitate to look at him too. The shorter skeleton is standing by the doorway, arms crossed. There’s a stern expression on his face and his eye sockets are empty. Despite the easy words exchanged between him and his mentor, you have a feeling Sans is biting back a lot of angry ones.   
  
At least Papyrus isn’t angry, you think, but then again… it might be better for him if he were angry too. Instead, the skeleton holding you is busy cuddling you, hands occasionally running down your arms or your spine. Like he’s reassuring himself. It’s kind of embarrassing, honestly. Especially with Alphys here too. But you don’t dare try to wriggle out of his grasp.   
  
“Stars, Sans. Stop pouting.” Gaster finally complains. He dramatically gestures at you and exclaims, “You’re making this one self conscious!”   
  
Sans looks at you, brow furrowing when you shrink back. “i’m not pouting.” He explains as if the very notion is ridiculous.   
  
“Sure you aren’t.” Gaster drawls, an all knowing look on his face.   
  
“Y-your SOUL is injured.” Alphys interrupts, “I-it looks like it has been like this for a while now.”   
  
“I know.” He gives her a brief look. “Any further damage and it would have been irreparable, correct?”   
  
Alphys simply nods.   
  
“okay- first off, i’m not pouting.” Sans bursts out, “i’m pissed because you tried to needlessly sacrifice yourself- not only was it, might i emphasize,  _ unnecessary,  _ but also completely out of character.”   
  
“But, the tear, I needed to stay behind to repair-”   
  
“do you see a tear, g?!” Sans waves an arm towards Papyrus’ desktop, where it is innocently resting, “because i don’t.”   
  
“How was I supposed to know it would close by itself?! Ow!” Gaster flinches and glares at Alphys, who just pricked his ulna with a small needle.   
  
“S-sorry. I-it’s just a b-bit of healing magic! I-it’ll h-help your SOUL s-some.” She stammers.   
  
“and you.” Sans turns towards you. “you told me you were just going to take a look around! falling headfirst into the void is… is not just taking a look around!”    
  
“I did not fall!” You defensively reply. “Gaster pulled me!”

  
Everyone simultaneously turns to look at a flustered Gaster.   
  
“You wouldn’t leave it alone!” He hisses, “I tried warning you- BOTH you and the child! Do not try to rescue me. Do not attempt to follow me. But night after night, you would tear me down with your emotional drivel-  _ Oh, you’re missed. Not everyone forgot you, doc!  _ So, yes! I dragged you into the void. Perhaps then, you would have realized the futility of your words! This entire situation- it shouldn’t be possible! I was supposed to perish in there!”   
  
“so you thought you’d pull bones into the void… to shut him up.” Sans slowly summarizes.   
  
“I am well aware of my motives, Sans.” Gaster crosses his arms. He is the one pouting now. Alphys, now uncomfortably sweating, begins studying her phone.    
  
“did you even take a second to think things through.”   
  
“I was irritated!”   
  
“you were irritated to the point where you grabbed bones, the one irritating you, and pulled him into the same place you’ve been stuck in for years. to prove him wrong. for all of eternity.”   
  
“I, er-”   
  
“NYEHEHEHE.” Papyrus turns his head and covers his mouth. You take the chance to slide off his lap.   
  
“paps, please, i’m trying to make a point.”   
  
“I AM SORRY, SANS, BUT YOU KNOW I AM A NERVOUS GIGGLER!”   
  
“Point? What point?! It seem you’re trying to make me feel like a fool!”   
  
“yes, exactly. i’m glad we’re all on the same page here.”    
  
It would take just one little comment, you realize. One dumb comment, and Sans is going to explode. You look over at Papyrus, who is wringing his hands and looking between Gaster and his brother. The poor guy clearly has no idea what to do in this situation. You don’t either, but something has to be done. You ignore the sudden urge to jump out of Papyrus’ window. It didn’t do any good the last time you did that. Instead, as casually as you can, you walk across the room, grab Sans’ arm, and pull him into the hallway.   
  
“bones, i am not done here.” He protests. You chuckle, but ignore him.    
  
To your relief, he lets you lead him down the hall and doesn’t say anything else when you poke at the door to his room. It opens easily, confirming that he never bothered to fix it after you blew the lock out, and you pull him in.    
  
It’s dark in here, and you let out a disgusted sound when you catch a whiff of the air. “Sans, this place smells like a locker room.”   
  
“you’re the one who wanted to be here, pal.” Sans replies, and snaps his fingers. The lights turn on.    
  
The first time you were ever in this room, it was in a desperate attempt to escape capture, so you never really got a good look. And, despite the fact that you’ve been living with the brothers for a good while now, you’ve never entered Sans’ domain again. You can’t say that you’re surprised by its condition though.   
  
His bed is just a mattress on the floor, sheets unmade. Probably in need of a wash. His lamp, held together by duct tape and is basically a flashlight covered by a lampshade, is the only source of light here. His carpet is old and worn, covered with socks and discarded shirts. In the middle of the room is…   
  
“Why do you have a treadmill?” You ask. He just shrugs.   
  
“why are you asking about that and not the trash tornado?” He counters.   
  
You were trying to ignore the whirling cyclone in the room. That’s why, Sans.    
  
“Never mind.” You sigh, and turn your attention back to him. He’s shuffling his feet, looking disgruntled. “I’m sorry.”   
  
“not your fault.” He mumbles, scratching at his neck.   
  
“I’m still sorry.” You cross your arms. “Back in the void? I was hoping that I wasn’t worrying you guys too much. That maybe, in some odd way, you wouldn’t even notice what happened until my return. Guess it didn’t turn out that way, huh?”   
  
“...no. it didn’t.”   
  
“I’m not used to this, you know.” You say with a frustrated groan. Sans gives you a questioning look. “Up above, it was only me. There was no one else to worry about. No one to rely on. And now, here I am, stuck under a mountain and suddenly there are… so many others. That, uh, actually care about me? And it’s kinda weird and stifling, and I just- it feels strange. And I forget, and then do something without thinking about the consequences. Forgetting that… whatever I do, it doesn’t only impact myself now.”   
  
“you’re ridiculous, you know that?” Sans looks somewhere over your shoulder. “you wanted into the core to save gaster. and i have no idea why. it can’t just be because of frisk.”   
  
“Well...yeah, it was at first.” You scratch at the crack across your eye. “But then I found out, hey- you kinda miss him too. You told me that he became sort of like a father figure to you and Papyrus. What was I supposed to do? Just ignore that?”   
  
“you didn’t have to do anything.” Sans gently points out. His pupils finally came back, you notice. “you know that you don’t owe us anything, right? we care about you because we want to, no strings attached-”   
  
“Is it really hard to accept that I love you guys and want everyone to be happy?” You burst out, feeling embarrassed and guilty.    
  
“happy, huh?” The shorter skeleton looks knocked for a loop, cheeks turning slightly blue. He turns away from you, shoulders slumping. But at least he is smiling now. “stars, kid. you can’t just say things like that. you might make papyrus cry.”   
  
“The, uh, good kind of cry, I hope.” You shyly say, and he nods.   
  
“so, when you guys were first trying to get out of the void… you kinda scared the hell out of me. hit something with my blaster. you hurt?” Sans’ gaze sweeps over you.   
  
“It wasn’t me.” You shrug, “The only reason Gaster’s hurt is because he’s a moron, anyway. First by pissing off the local wildlife, and second by trying to exit the void through television. That’s why he made me try the second time, when you pulled me out.”   
  
“a moron, huh?” Sans chuckles, shaking his head. You relax when you see that your talk worked- he’s not angry anymore. He won’t shout, or threaten, or abandon you-   
  
…Huh. For a second there you almost forgot how much baggage you actually have.   
  
“so he wanted to go through the tv on purpose?” He questions.   
  
“Apparently, it’s the easiest thing to go through?” Frowning, you continue. “I couldn’t make any sense of it, so I just let him do his thing.”     
  
“heh.” Sans shakes his head and gestures towards the door. “okay, your little plan worked. i’m calm now. let’s head back. hey, don’t give me that look. you aren’t as sneaky as you think you are.”   
  
Moments later you and Sans are back in Papyrus’ room. There, an enthralled Alphys is perched on Papyrus’ computer chair, listening as Gaster rambles on. Papyrus himself is leaning back against the wall, legs dangling over the side of his bed. He seems to be snoozing. Gaster is now cross legged on the bed next to the other skeleton, gesturing with one hand.   
  
“There was a student at the nearby university who absolutely worshipped the ground I walked on. He would follow me everywhere, begging over and over for a chance at the open internship. And there was no doubt, he was a brilliant student, and a most promising individual.”   
  
Alphys leans forward. “So what happened? Did you hire him?”   
  
“No. I hired Sans instead.” Gaster scoffs, “I despise bootlickers.”    
  
“O-oh.” She stammers, “B-but I guess Sans’ r-resume was pretty impressive!”   
  
“I picked him up off the streets. He was selling tap water and reusing the plastic bottles. I admired his ingenuity.” The ex-royal scientist shrugs. “That he actually had the relevant knowledge and skill set needed for working in a lab? Pure coincidence.”   
  
Alphys sputters, partially in surprise and partially in outrage. You guess she values hard work and college degrees over street smarts. You can respect that.   
  
“he okay, alph?” Sans interrupts.   
  
Alphys twirls in the chair, “Y-yeah! H-his SOUL w-will recover. H-he just has to i-inject these e-every few days!” She pulls out a small vial. Gaster reaches for it, but Sans gets there first.   
  
“sounds good.” He studies it with a critical eye socket.   
  
“I-it’s s-standard h-healing magic. N-no alterations, no a-additions.” She assures him. Then, with some hesitation, she asks, “I- I have a feeling. All of this… it’s why I h-had to w-watch Frisk tonight?”   
  
“...yeah.” Sans pockets the vial. Gaster pouts at this. “hey. quick question for ya. do you remember forgetting bones?”   
  
“I…” She gives you a guilty look. “It was weird. I-it was like you w-were a dream or s-something. But then Sans showed up, and-”   
  
“I was erased too, huh.” You realize, “I don’t know how to feel about that.”   
  
“it’ll be easy for everyone to just… remember in a snap.” Sans snaps his fingers. “don’t worry about that, okay? alph, mind taking a look at bones now?”   
  
“R-right!” She yelps, hopping from the chair and scurrying over to you.    
  
“Why isn’t Frisk here anyway?” You ask, “I bet they’re feeling pretty awful.”   
  
“T-they’re sleeping.” Alphys murmurs, scanning you. “I, um, maybe gave t-them s-some of that human medicine? B-benadryl?”   
  
“Pffft.” You snort, covering your mouth. “Seriously? They’re gonna be pissed once they wake up.”   
  
“W-well, they needed sleep! T-they were so upset. A-and, now knowing w-why?” She shudders.   
  
“me n’ paps weren’t in any shape to provide comfort.” Sans admits, “didn’t want to say something to them i might regret.”   
  
“Can you bring them back over here?” You quietly ask, “I’d prefer them nearby.”   
  
“B-before you do that…” Alphys finishes, and with a flourish, pushes the tablet into Sans’ hands. “L-looks like e-everything’s fine on Bones’ end. Dr. G-gaster got the b-bad end of the stick t-this time.”   
  
“I could have told you that.” Gaster grumps. Papyrus grumbles and rests his head against the old doctor’s shoulder. His stern features subtly soften.   
  
“okay. that’s good.” Sans breathes. “i don’t want to move paps. you think the two of you will be okay on the couch?”   
  
“Yeah.” You say, “Think I can sleep anywhere right now.”   
  
“it’s gonna be a little chilly.” Sans eyes dart to the side. “i may have… destroyed half the house.”   
  
“Wait, what?” You yelp.   
  
“i blew out a wall. papyrus managed to board it up, so you should be fine.” He reassures you like that’s what you’re worried about.   
  
“Why would you do that in the first place?!” You demand to know.   
  
“look, this is why we don’t let you choose on movie night anymore.” Sans says, “y’see, when the television randomly switches on, turns to  _ static,  _ and a  _ hand  _ starts coming through the screen, i tend to panic.”   
  
Gaster guffaws.    
  
An hour later you’re curled up on the couch. Frisk is curled by your side, snoring like a child that has been drugged. You… might want to talk to Alphys about dosing human children with medicine to get them to sleep. You never know when that situation might rise again.    
  
Clearly, that is the most important thing to worry about.   
  
…   
  
You’ll question your priorities later.   
  
  



	40. Did I Do That?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My only excuse is that the new Story of Seasons game came out and I just got it last week. I plan on seducing the doctor, just in case anyone's interested in that.

You wake up to a grinning Sans. He’s leaning over the back of the couch, chin propped up in one of his hands. If it weren’t for Frisk’s body pinning you down, you’d have fallen off the couch in surprise. And, stars, the kid really is getting heavier, aren’t they? Humans grow like weeds, it seems. “The hell, Sans?!” You ask in a whisper.  
  
“you loooove us.” He teases, and you freeze. There’s an embarrassed flush on your cheeks and you turn your head away. Leave it to Sans to start teasing you. Of course he couldn’t just… take your words at face value and never mention it again. “you looove being part of our family. you-” You smash a pillow in his face.   
  
“ARE THEY AWAKE YET?!” Papyrus calls from probably the kitchen, judging by the smell of slightly burnt toast. He still hasn’t quite mastered the toaster yet.   
  
“i’m getting ‘em up.” Sans responds, tossing the pillow back to you.   
  
“Sans, where are the normal clothes?” You can hear Gaster’s frustrated voice coming from upstairs.   
  
“i told ya, g. anything that’s gonna fit is in papyrus’ closet.” Sans answers.   
  
“I see nothing but glitter and booty shorts.” Came his snotty reply.   
  
Sans turns towards the kitchen, brow raised. “booty shorts, bro?”   
  
“WELL, TODAY IS LAUNDRY DAY.” Is Papyrus’ flustered response.   
  
“yeah, but. _booty shorts._ ”   
  
“I DO NOT QUESTION YOUR FASHION CHOICES.”   
  
“except you do. like, all the time.”   
  
You laugh. You can’t help it. After such a stressful time, being trapped in the void, being kidnapped by well meaning skull monsters, and then actually escaping the void with a monster that managed to erase his very existence… It’s such a relief to be here now. Alarm crosses Sans’ face- okay so maybe your laughter is turning a bit maniacal, and then Frisk wakes up.   
  
Their eyes slowly open, and you wince at the red tint to them. The bags under their eyes are pronounced and deep, despite sleeping for quite a while under the effects of the medicine Alphys gave them. They kind of rival Sans’, you think.   
  
It takes a second for the child to process that they’re actually looking at you, but then their eyes are open wide, and they’re scrambling to check their pockets. You and Sans watch, bemused, as they check their phone.   
  
“Today’s date- I didn’t load?” They say, voice high pitched and incredulous. Sans slowly shakes his head. “B-but, Bones disappeared, and you didn’t-”   
  
“he found a way out. him and-” Sans starts, then pauses as Gaster stomps down the stairs. Looks like he ended up finding a regular pair of slacks as, to your relief, there are no booty shorts to be seen.   
  
“Is it too presumptuous to think that this backwater town has an inn?” He asks, straightening his coat, “While I am quite sure you have no qualms about housing me, I would prefer some time alone. Without Papyrus spooning me during the night.”   
  
“OH, DOCTOR.” Papyrus sighs, walking into the living room. He’s holding a plate that, in turn, holds a tower of toast. “I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW TOUCHY YOU GET ABOUT TOUCHING.”   
  
Frisk stares at you, then at Gaster. Then they stare at you again. This process restarts itself several times, and you’re starting to worry. At least, until they let out a soft little sob and collapses back on top of you, arms clinging around your neck. Tears follow immediately.   
  
“Do humans really leak that much?” Gaster asks in a horrifyingly curious tone. Sans sighs, shakes his head, and proceeds to drag the older skeleton out the door. “What?! I was only asking-”   
  
“we get it, doc. you want to poke the human. later.” Sans sighs. The door shuts behind them.   
  
“OH.” Papyrus says a few minutes later, when Frisk still hasn’t let up. He sweats nervously, and glances towards the door. “IT. UH. APPEARS THAT SANS IS TELEPATHICALLY CALLING FOR MY ASSISTANCE. I SHALL SEE WHAT HE NEEDS.”   
  
He runs out the door. He comes back in a moment later to gently place the plate of toast on the table in front of the couch. Then he runs back out like his pants are on fire. You bite back a chuckle, and instantly feel bad. Frisk is suffering here! You have to make them feel better! You pet their head and utter a soft, “There, there.”   
  
“You’re b-back!” Frisk finally hiccups.   
  
“Yup.” You easily reply.   
  
“A-and that other skeleton, he’s-”   
  
“Gaster.” You finish for them.   
  
“Gaster. And you- you brought him back.” They sniffle.   
  
“Um, you can put it that way.” More like Gaster brought _you_ back. Not only that, but quite easily too. It makes you wonder if Gaster ever really tried to escape in the first place. Maybe he lied about the skull monsters attacking him. They certainly didn’t bother chasing after the two of you after your last encounter with them. It just seems way too convenient, that he was able to find a way back so easily just after you show up. You didn’t really think to question it until now.   
  
“Did he… say anything?” Frisk asks, finally sliding off of you and sitting back on the couch cushions. You push yourself up as well, and the two of you end up facing each other, cross legged.   
  
“What do you mean?” You curiously ask, and they shrug.   
  
“Anything that might be important.” They stress, tugging at the sleeves of their sweater, “About the barrier, or the resets. Anything.”   
  
“Oh.” You look down, studying the lime colored fabric of the sofa. “I didn’t get any details, really. We had more important things to get done. But he was really… insistent… that whatever happened to your abilities is all on you. Something about the power of your determination or whatever.”   
  
“Ugh.” The child presses a hand to their forehead, “I’m getting really tired of this determination stuff.”   
  
“Hey.” You poke their cheek and they stick their tongue out at you. “We totally saved Gaster.”   
  
“You saved Gaster.” They sniff, correcting you, and wipe their eyes. “But, you’re right. He’s safe. That should be all that matters.”   
  
Smiling, you open your mouth to say something else, no doubt something awkward and cheesy because that’s all you’ve been doing lately, but then the front door opens. Turning your head, you see an alarmed Grillby stalking inside the house as if it’s perfectly normal for the fire elemental be here, followed by a nervous Doggo.   
  
_Why is there a section of your wall missing?!_ He demands to know. _Where is Papyrus?_ Aw, he’s worried about his boyfriend. And, well… taking a look at the haphazardly thrown together wooden boards keeping the house together… you don’t blame him.   
  
“He’s fine.” You reassure him, “He and Sans had to step out for a moment.”   
  
_He didn’t answer my texts._ Is Grillby’s frazzled response.   
  
“Told ya, maybe he’s just busy.” Doggo gruffly suggests.   
  
_He always answers his texts!_ _  
_ _  
_ “He’s okay, Grillby.” Frisk pipes up, “Like Bones said. We just have a guest, and-”   
  
“Why does the human sound funny?” Doggo interrupts, and Frisk freezes. “They sound like they’ve been crying.”   
  
“You…” You cautiously say, “Know that Frisk’s a human?”   
  
“...Was that supposed to be a secret?” The canine slowly asks. Grillby crackles in amusement, his worry temporarily cooling off. “Because I gotta tell ya, pal… Everyone in town knows.”   
  
“And no one informed the king?!” Now you’re completely shocked. Doggo looks embarrassed for a moment, scratching at an ear and shifting his gaze away.   
  
“It’s just-” He starts, sighing, “Frisk is _our_ human, right? They’ve been living here, going to school here, and all that. So they belong here. In Snowdin. No one here’s gonna be draggin’ them to New Home.”   
  
_There was a meeting._ Grillby helpfully adds, making you groan in exasperation.   
  
“Not just that.” Doggo says, “But, well, Sans and Papyrus belong here too. And they claimed Bones, you see?”   
  
“Claimed me? What does that even mean?!”   
  
“And then Bones went and claimed Frisk.” Doggo continues, “On live television. We gotta respect that kind of courage.”   
  
“Wait. You mean, with Mettaton?” You ask, dumbfounded.   
  
“Unless you were on TV anytime else.” The royal guard shrugs. “You were willing to risk your life to save the kid. That means something.”   
  
“But, aren’t you afraid that Asgore will find out that the entire town knows about me?!” Frisk shouts, looking fearful. “What if everyone gets in trouble just because of me?!”   
  
_There was a meeting._ Grillby insists.   
  
“The general consensus was that if the king could adopt a human a thousand some odd years ago, then so can we.” Doggo chuckles, “It would be kinda hypocritical if he goes and gets upset with us for doing the same thing as him.”   
  
“But he declared war after-” You say, furrowing your brow.   
  
“And we’re the royal guard.” Doggo growls, “I’m pretty sure we know what the king really wants, deep down.”   
  
You recall speaking with Asgore a while ago, after he caught you in his basement amongst seven tiny coffins. Didn’t he tell you to never bring Frisk to New Home? That he wished to remain ignorant of Frisk’s whereabouts? You have to bite back a laugh. His people are trying to grant him the very same favor as you are!   
  
Briefly, you have to wonder if so many problems can be solved if monsters like Doggo and the other residents of Snowdin would just ask the king to back down from his declaration of war.  

  
“And I’m pretty sure you’re right too.” You softly respond.   
  
“Damn right I am!”   
  
_Are we done now?_ Grillby irritably says, _Because I am still not sure how a wall was blown out. There’s also a creature roaming Snowdin._   
  
“A… creature?”   
  
_It looks like a dragon’s skull. The children are playing with it in the middle of town. They’ve already named the creature “Cinnamon Bun”._ _  
_ _  
_ “Cinnamon Bun?” You weakly ask.   
  
“Dragon skull?” Frisk echoes, voice faint.   
  
_The innkeeper’s son named it after his favorite pastry and the rest of them caught on. Is it dangerous?_ _  
_ _  
_ Didn’t Gaster say something about giving some of these creatures to Sans? If that’s the case… “I think it’s okay. They didn’t try attacking anything, right?”   
  
“Nope.” Doggo scratches at his collar. “I’m thinking it’s one of the doctor’s creations. Like Endogeny and Snowdrake’s mom.”   
  
_You would think that she would inform us of-_ Grillby starts, pausing as Sans storms into the house, mouth set in a frown.   
  
“Uh.” You say, and the shorter skeleton makes a grumpy sound.   
  
“ACTIONS DO HAVE CONSEQUENCES, BROTHER.” Papyrus follows, face set in ‘lecture mode’. That is, until he spies Grillby in the living room. An adoring look crosses his features before he exclaims, “GRILLBY!” He bounds over to the fire elemental, nuzzling his cheek. The bartender’s flame shoot up in surprise, but relax soon afterwards as he wraps an arm around the skeleton’s waist.   
  
“Your blaster is playing with the children in Snowdin.” You inform Sans.   
  
“great.” He replies, rolling his eye sockets.   
  
“BONES. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A TALK WITH MOPSY.” Papyrus suggests. “SHE IS VERY RELUCTANT TO RENT YOUR ROOM TO DOCTOR GASTER.”   
  
“What? Why?”   
  
“monsters are remembering him.” Sans gravely replies, ignoring the confused glances sent his way by Grillby and Doggo. “and by remembering, i mean they think he really is me and pap’s dad, and with that whole bun incident…”   
  
_Oh, right. I do recall that night._ Grillby sighs. _I tried restraining you, yet you somehow managed to escape with her._ _  
_ _  
_ “I AM SURE YOU DID YOUR BEST, GRILLBY.” Papyrus nuzzles his cheek again, and the fire elemental’s flames flicker appreciatively. “BUT SANS IS A STALLION, WILD AND FREE. PERHAPS ONE DAY HE WILL ALLOW SOMEONE TO TAME HIS WILD, WILD HEART, BUT UNTIL THEN-”   
  
“oh my god.” Sans snickers, shaking his head, “i’m flattered bro, but i’m pretty sure i’m more donkey than stallion.”   
  
“NO! WHY WOULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING?!” Papyrus gasps in horror, “IS YOUR SELF ESTEEM STILL SO LOW, TO THINK THAT OF YOURSELF? I MEAN, NOT EVERYONE CAN BE AS GREAT AS I, BUT YOU ARE CERTAINLY VERY CLOSE!”   
  
“nah.” The older skeleton shrugs and winks, “i just think you’re the stallion, bro. i’m perfectly fine being an ass.”   
  
Papyrus shrieks in outrage. You take this as a cue to get up. Frisk watches you with frantic eyes until you gesture at them to do the same. They bound to your side, and cling to your arm. “So, we’re going to go over to Mopsy’s. You boys have fun.”   
  
The walk to the inn is kind of weird. Now that you know that everyone knows about you housing a human… you just don’t know how to act. Everyone is acting the same as always- the rabbits sweetly greeting you, the dogs enthusiastically calling for your attention, and the kids running up to Frisk like they’re close friends.   
  
“It’s almost Gyftmas.” Frisk pipes up, startling you. The two of you are passing by the tree. The presents have been piling up these past couple of weeks, you realize. “I, uh… made a few things for you guys. Hope that’s alright. Don’t really have enough gold to buy everybody something.”   
  
“We’ll love them.” You say, mind racing. Crap. You need to get a few things yourself, don’t you? And, considering the last time you checked your inventory, you actually have enough gold to probably buy a house on the surface… You can buy gifts. For the first time ever. That will be an interesting experience. “I guess I’m heading back to the capital soon. Gotta figure out what to get you guys.”   
  
“Bones…” Frisk says, stopping. You stop too, looking down at them. “I think I’m about ready. To, well, end things down here. I… It’s hard, you know. To let things go. To accept that you aren’t, and shouldn’t, be in control anymore. But, yeah. It’s time, I think.” They nervously look up at you, as if seeking your approval.   
  
“Time to go back to the surface, huh?” You reply, sighing. “Well, good luck, kid. Though I gotta admit, I’ll miss being down here.”   
  
“You don’t have to go back to being homeless and alone up there.” The child firmly says. “Sans and Papyrus wouldn’t ever let you do that to yourself. And, considering everything that went on down here, I’m hoping we have a good chance that I can stick around too.” At the look on your face, they sadly smile. “I know, I know. It’s not a guarantee, but I still have to hope, right? And… even if it doesn’t happen. I’ll keep in touch. And when I grow up, I can go wherever I want and no one can say otherwise! So, sooner or later, we’ll all be together again.”   
  
You wrap an arm around their shoulders and tug them close. “So… you wanna celebrate Gyftmas first? One final memory of the underground before we go back to real life?”   
  
“Yeah.” They laugh and now you’re walking again, “Definitely.”   
  
As the two of you finally approach the inn, you spot Gaster standing, arms crossed as he scowls down at an upset Mopsy. They appear to be having a discussion, and neither one is enjoying it. You speed up, hoping to stop a real family feud from happening.   
  
“And where exactly were you all this time?!” Mopsy asks, her features stern. “Because I remember when your sons first moved here- do you have any idea how messed up Sans was?!”   
  
“W-what?!” Gaster stammers, “Are you attempting to accuse me of being a deadbeat father?!”   
  
“Oh, more than that!” Mopsy pokes him in the sternum with a single pointer finger. “He was a drunk, mister skeleton! Poor Papyrus was so concerned for him and he didn’t know what to do! They needed you, and you go and abandoned them for years, and now you just show up?!”   
  
Frisk gasps as something like pure, unadulterated anger radiates from Gaster’s form. “Shit.” You curse. “Mopsy, Gaster! Maybe the two of you should-”   
  
“Oh, I see.” He sneers, turning his nasal cavity down towards her, “You are under the impression that I left my children of my own free will. It seems that it’s of no matter if Sans or I bring you facts, as you are determined to believe whatever preconceived notions you have.”   
  
“Then why haven’t you ever tried to visit? Or tried to help them?” Mopsy demands to know, “Stars know those two have so many issues-”   
  
“Mopsy.” You say, and she barely glances at you before Gaster sweeps in again.   
  
“You are projecting.” He states, and Mopsy draws back, startled. “I know of your cousin. The one who spends her days and nights at the local bar. My oldest is an easy target, considering they once had relations. Isn’t that correct?”   
  
“Excuse me?!” She says, one eye twitching.   
  
“Well!” You shout, grabbing Gaster’s arm before he can say something even worse. “I don’t think it’s wise for you to stay here after all.”   
  
“I…” Gaster looks from you, to the fuming Mopsy, then sighs. “You are correct.”   
  
“Hmph. I know it’s not your fault, Bones.” Mopsy says, giving you an apologetic look. “But I guess some skeletons just rub me the wrong way.”   
  
“Did Sans attempt to mount you too?” You swear to the stars Gaster said that just to cause even more strife, so you elbow his side. He makes a wonderful pained sound at the impact.   
  
“How a sweetheart like Papyrus came from you I’ll never know!” Mopsy yells, turning to storm inside the inn. The door slams shut behind her.   
  
“Gaster…”   
  
“My apologies.” Gaster’s jaw tightens. “I am more affected by being here than I realized.”   
  
“Are you okay?” Frisk asks. The ex royal scientist shrugs, scowling.   
  
“I have been able to see many things in the void.” He softly says, “And sometimes, I saw the insides of that bar. Many monsters use that place to forget where they are. Some… more so than others.”   
  
“Was Sans really…” You start to ask.   
  
“Yes.” Gaster closes his eyes, “Though I doubt he would ever willingly discuss it. There is no doubt that my disappearance was the catalyst that started his downward spiral. Once the time anomalies appeared… that gave his behavior more strength. It was a great struggle for him, I have seen, to win his battle against it. HIs brother helped a lot. His friends as well.” He opens his eyes, turns, and walks back towards the house.   
  
“This is why.” Gaster murmurs to you and Frisk once you catch up to his longer strides, “Why Asgore was so insistent on finding a way out. Even if monsters do not remember the surface, they still yearn for the sun and the stars. They are still suffering, some more than others.” He grits his teeth. “I was weak. I fell under the king’s pressure when I should have really focused more on... “ He sighs.   
  
“Gaster?” You cautiously ask, and he gives you a sidelong glance.   
  
“I should have been there for them like they were for me.” He confesses, “Do you not find it odd, that the moment I reappear, others think of me as their parent?”   
  
“You’re not?” Frisk pipes up, looking surprised, “I thought that you were!”   
  
“Pfft.” He snickers, “Child, Sans was my intern. We were not related by any other means. But, life is not always conventional, is it? So Sans and Papyrus are my sons now. I do not find the idea offputting.”   
  
“Can you be my dad too?” You pipe up, wanting this discussion to be over. Just like Sans, Gaster has a way of catching you off guard. By being in the void with him, you would think you’d have a good grasp on his character, but that isn’t the case. You want him to go back to being snarky and sarcastic. It’s safer that way.   
  
“No.” He states, and Frisk cracks up at this. “You are the irritating child that invites themselves over for family gatherings and eats all of our food.”   
  
“...Did you just liken me to Steve Urkel?”   
  
“Stars.” Gaster scoffs, “First this Robert Neville and now Steve Urkel. That is two references that I do not, nor do I care to, understand. If you would like to actually converse with me, you will have to cease this behavior immediately.”   
  
“Aaand there’s the old bastard I knew from way back in the void.” You say, relieved even as he glares at you.   
  
Cinnamon Bun joins the three of you on the way home. Gaster is delighted to see the blaster, but Frisk clutches at your sweater and uses you like a shield. You decide not to question it.   
  
  
  
  
_  
_ _  
_   
  



	41. B-baka!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and the caretaker of the ruins spend some time together. Sans boosts his home's value. Gaster learns how to bake. Not necessarily in that order.

It’s a week before Gyftmas, and for most of the morning you ran about in a panic until Sans called Alphys and then Alphys called you, setting up a date to the capital so that you can get last minute shopping done.   
  
_ “Y-you do know you don’t have to actually get us anything, right?” She dryly comments. _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Shush!” _   
  
After that, an idea starts to rattle in your skull. It might be a mistake to try, and he may not appreciate it much, if at all, but damn! Who wants to celebrate the holidays alone?! Even if Flowey made good on his promise not to be seen, you are determined to give him a gift, at least! The question is, however… where in the underground is that flower?   
  
You hover in the doorway to Papyrus’ room, watching Frisk valiantly attempt to comb their hair. Despite their insistence on keeping the length, they really don’t know how to take care of it. Sighing, you finally step through to grab the comb from their hand.   
  
“Ends first.” You say, and start the long process of detangling the brown locks.   
  
“For a guy without any, you know way too much about human hair.” Frisk complains without attempting to take the comb back.   
  
“And you know way too little about hair, considering you’re covered in the stuff.” You comment. “Also, stop clogging the shower with your shedding. It freaks Sans and Papyrus out.”   
  
“They thought a mouse got stuck in the drain.” They snicker, and you can’t help but laugh along. As you slowly work your way up, they ask, “So, what’s up? You have that look on your face- the one where you have a question and don’t know how to put it.”   
  
It’s strange that the child knows how to read your expressions so well. Strange, but also nice. It’s a good feeling, to be understood. With a small sigh, you answer, “I have a bag of candies that Flowey likes.” It’s the same type of candy he got from the grocery store that one trip you two made together. It’s not much, but it’s the only thing you know he likes. “I sort of want to give it to him for Gyftmas, but I don’t know where he is.”   
  
“Hmm…” They thoughtfully reply, “He might be in the ruins. You know the bed of flowers we fell on, back in the beginning? Flowey likes to be alone there.”   
  
“Well, that doesn’t help at all.” You say, disappointed.    
  
“Can you braid my hair again?” They ask, and you proceed to do so. “Maybe you can convince Toriel to let you through.”   
  
“And how would I do that? I think she hates me.”   
  
“She doesn’t hate anyone. Not even Asgore.” Frisk says without a doubt. “As for how to get access to the ruins… maybe ask Sans? I think he might have an idea.” A shortcut, maybe? That does sound like a good idea. Frisk fidgets, suddenly frowning.   
  
“What’s up?” You ask.   
  
“So, if you’re going to talk to Flowey, do you think you can give him something from me?”They timidly ask. You nod as you tie off the end of their braid, and they rush towards Papyrus’ desk. The child pulls out two envelopes and hands them to you.   
  
“You… wrote him two letters?” You ask, turning them over in your hands.   
  
“One is for Toriel, the other for Flowey. He doesn’t want to talk to me. That’s fine.” They shrug, “But maybe he’ll be curious enough to read what I have to say instead.”   
  
“And Toriel?”   
  
“She’s all alone in there, Bones. I want her to know I’m thinking of her, even if she doesn’t return my phone calls.” The child shyly smiles before turning back to Papyrus’ computer. “Anyway, might as well finish up some homework.”   
  
“You mean start your homework.” You tease, and they give you a mischievous grin.   
  
When you enter the living room a few moments later, you’re surprised to see two doors standing side by side that weren’t there before. Sans is muttering to himself, looking over the new feature with a critical eye socket. You step up besides him. “That… wasn’t there an hour ago.”   
  
“yup.”   
  
“So, like, are they a closet to Narnia or something?”   
  
“i connected the garage to the house.” He explains. “might as well, considering half the wall was blown out and we needed to make repairs anyway. check it out.” The shorter skeleton opens one of the doors and the two of you step through.   
  
He somehow rigged up a wall that split the garage into two, one door to each side. This resulted in a much smaller space, but when you take in what he did, you can’t help but be impressed. So simple, but very effective. It’s a bedroom, complete with all the amenities one might need, including… you squint. Yeah. That’s a half eaten bowl of kibble mixed with chopped up hotdogs in the corner.    
  
“You made this into a four bedroom house.” You observe, not bothering to comment about the dish.    
  
“i figured it would be a lot more effective than fixing our relationship with the rabbits.” Sans shrugs. “so, two more rooms. frisk obviously has this one. or you. depends on who wants their privacy more.”   
  
“Frisk is a growing kid.” You chuckle, “I think it’d be better for them.”   
  
Sans nods. “so, gaster has the other. because he’s an antisocial bastard.”   
  
“So, uh… you think you can teleport me into the ruins? I need to drop something off for a friend.” You ask, watching as the shorter skeleton fiddles with the lamp resting on the nightstand.    
  
“no teleportin’ in the ruins.” He murmurs. “also, if this friend that you’re speakin’ of is the weed, might i express my concern and displeasure?”   
  
“Your concern is noted.” You dryly reply. “Why can’t you teleport there?”   
  
“ancient magic. tried it once. don’t recommend it.” Still, he must feel sorry for you, because he adds, “you can try to convince tori to deliver the gifts for you. she’s got a good heart.”   
  
“She’s the one who kicked me out in the first place.” You mutter, crossing your arms. Sans snickers at this.   
  
“try tellin’ her a knock knock joke. she loves those.” With those wise words, he flicks the lamp off.   
  
You leave him there to wander into the kitchen. Immediately, you see Gaster and Papyrus arguing over a mixing bowl full of what looks like raw dough. Grillby is snickering in the corner, one hand covering his lower face.   
  
“DOCTOR! THAT IS MUCH TOO MUCH SALT!”   
  
“Excellent. May this cake rival that of her angry tears.”   
  
“THAT… THAT IS NOT HOW APOLOGIES ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK?!” Papyrus looks over at Grillby for back up. The fire elemental nods his agreement.   
  
“What are you guys doing?” You slowly ask, making your way to the fridge. Reaching in, you grab one of Frisk’s premade sandwiches.    
  
“MAKING APOLOGY CAKE FOR MOPSY.” Papyrus explains, a weary look on his face. “IT. IT IS NOT GOING SO WELL.”   
  
_ Apologies are best made when one actually means them.  _ Grillby wisely adds.   
  
“Ooookay.” You take a bite of the sandwich. “Going on a hike. Got my phone, so call me if you need anything. Frisk and Sans know where I should be.”   
  
“Do you require companionship?” Gaster asks, looking up from his concoction. Flour covers half of his face. You have a feeling he is only offering to get out of making cake.   
  
“Nah, I’m good.” You wave goodbye with the sandwich in your hand and go on your way. _  
_ _  
_ The trek back to the old ruins went by a lot faster than you’d think. But then again, it’s been a while since you’ve been there. The snow is still cold and thick, and the trees are still tall and broad, and the wind still bites at the bits of bone that isn’t covered by clothing, but… it’s an easy hike.   
  
Maybe it’s got something to do with your magic. You’ve never really had this much stamina before. Sure, you can run pretty fast but you always wound up pretty winded. But now… Yeah. Easy.    
  
You look up at the old, gray slab that serves as a door. Are you really going to risk upsetting the queen again? Just the thought of her towering, menacing form has you nervous! But, you have to remind yourself. You miss Flowey. You’re worried about him. And, knowing that Frisk is about ready to move on, you want to see him at least once before that. That means you have until Gyftmas is over, and that’ll go by fast.   
  
Your gift is nothing special- just a bag of butterscotch candies. Back when Flowey first picked them out, you teased him for liking old people candy. He threatened to rip your skull off and wear it like a helmet in response. Good times.    
  
Frisk’s letters are heavy in your pocket as well. You’re not sure if it’s a good idea, to give Flowey his. But you promised, right? At least Toriel is sure to be happy to hear from them. _  
_ _  
_ No more dawdling. Gathering your wits, you nervously knock on the door.   
  
“Who is there?” A muffled, but familiar voice speaks. She sounds a lot nicer than what you remember.   
  
“Theodore.” Sans said she likes terrible jokes. There’s no need to be worried. This’ll work.    
  
“Theodore who?” She says. There’s an expectant note at the end of her sentence.    
  
“...Theodore wasn’t open, so I thought I’d knock.” You lamely reply.   
  
An amused snort can be heard through the door. “That was terrible.”   
  
“Probably.” You agree. “I haven’t had much practice.”   
  
“...You are not the one who usually knocks on my door.” She says after a short pause. “He has a deeper voice. Who are you?”   
  
“Oh. We met. Before.” You laugh, “You, uh, threw me out of the ruins once upon a time.”   
  
“You are that skeleton. The one who was rifling through my sock drawer.” She states, sounding very much neutral. You take that as a good sign. “What do you want?”   
  
“Well, look- I’m not expecting to be let back in or anything, but-”   
  
“That is good. Because you won’t be.”   
  
“I have a friend, and I think he’s in there.” You continue, rubbing a hand against your neck. “And I have a present for them. For Gyftmas.”   
  
“You are quite early for that.” She sounds surprised. “And what makes you think he resides in the ruins?”   
  
“I was planning to plead with you for a couple of days before you actually gave in. Maybe even on the day of, and the holiday spirit finally gets to you.” You admit. “Your heart was supposed to grow three times larger and everything. Look, maybe you can let me know if you’ve seen him?” You sigh, pressing your forehead against the stone door. “Small, yellow flower? Kinda mean on the surface, but a huge, spiteful softy on the inside?”   
  
“M-my heart?  Oh! You are friends with him?” Toriel seems to hesitate. “Yes. He is here. I do believe your friend is very sad. I have caught him moping in the room with the flowers several times. Have you two had a fight?”   
  
“No. I wish he’d just come back out. Can you give him my present?” You ask.   
  
To your surprise, the door slowly creaks open. You take a step back, warily watching as Toriel peeks her head out.    
  
“I think it would be best if a friend pays him a visit instead of an old lady like me.” She finally says before disappearing behind the door. You take that as an invitation to enter.   
  
You follow her a few feet back as she walks down the long hallway that leads to her house. She doesn’t bother to talk to you, and you are too nervous to speak up. The weight of her letter in your pocket reminds you that you will need to, sooner or later. You prefer later, though.   
  
Once you are upstairs and standing by the front door, she speaks. “You will not disturb the monsters here.” The queen instructs with a tone that makes you feel like a babybones again. “You will find your friend and give him your gift. Once your business has concluded, you may find me here and I will escort you back to the exit.”   
  
“Ah, well… Thank you, your majesty.” You awkwardly say. She pauses, one hand on the doorknob.   
  
“Please, do not call me that.” She quietly begs, “I have not been your queen in quite a while.”   
  
When she closes the door behind you, you sigh and take in the slightly familiar sights. The tree still looks like it’s dying, you note. But trees die slow deaths anyway. No point lingering here, you have a mission.   
  
It doesn’t take long to notice that Toriel still hasn’t reset the large amount of puzzles that are scattered everywhere.  Frisk told you, once, that Toriel lives in the ruins to protect the humans that would fall here. If she gets to them before anyone else, then Asgore would never get the chance to take another human SOUL. Sans, on the other hand, told you that the ruins are supposed to be the front gate to the entire underground. The puzzles are meant to stop a human from venturing far enough to harm a monster, while still allowing them a decent chance to go through the area unscathed. Monsters are honorable like that, you guess.   
  
You reach the room with the golden flowers in no time at all. While the ruins aren’t small, all the hallways and rooms lead to this place, it seems. Beams of sunshine leak from the hole up top, hitting flower petals and making the entire area gleam ethereally. It heavily reminds you of Asgore’s throne room, where the entire floor is covered with the same plant and the warm glow of the sun.    
  
Curiously, you roll the sleeves of your sweater up and above your ulna and radius, exposing them to the air. You then extend your arms, letting the sunlight hit your bones in the first time in a while. The natural, naked, warmth of it has you closing your eye sockets.    
  
Okay. So maybe you really are good at lying. At least, to yourself. It’s easier to say you don’t miss the sun instead of dealing with the loss like a healthy monster would do.   
  
“Oh, jeez. What are  _ you  _ doing here?” Flowey disturbs the relative peace of the room, popping up in front of you with a scowl on his face.   
  
“Just checking up on you.” You comment, opening your eye sockets to look down at him. He looks a little different, you note. A little larger. His face more pronounced- three dimensional instead of the flatness that a flower normally possesses.    
  
“Checking up on me? Oh, that’s rich!” He cackles, “What do I look like to you?! A child?”   
  
“Adult or child, it doesn’t matter.” You shrug, “I still kind of missed you.”   
  
“Oh.” Flowey looks taken aback at this. “Well, I did tell you that I won’t be coming around anymore. How’d you get here anyway?”   
  
“The queen let me through. She’s worried about you.” You comment.   
  
“Worried? About me?! Why the hell would she do a stupid thing like that!” Flowey spits, “That meddling old goat…”   
  
“I just wanted to see ya, make sure everything’s okay, before…” You trail off, avoiding the flower’s gaze.   
  
“Ooooh. I see how this is.” Flowey cackles again, eyes widening in realization. “So, Frisk is finally going on with the show? Excellent! I have been waiting a very long time for this!”   
  
“I have something for you.” He looks up at you, interested. You take the bag of candy, wrapped in a red bow, and toss it towards him. Flowey catches it with a vine. “It’s a present. For Gyftmas.”   
  
“...Golly.” Flowey stares at the present, bewildered. “It’s… been a long time since Gyftmas happened…”   
  
“Well, now it’s happening. Merry early Gyftmas, Flowey.”   
  
“Don’t expect me to get anything for you.” He growls up at you.   
  
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” You assure him, hand brushing the pocket where Frisk’s letter is. Now should be the time to give him it, right? With some hesitation, you slide it out and offer it to Flowey.   
  
“W-what’s that?” He asks, eyeing it suspiciously.    
  
“Would you please just read it?” You ask, “You don’t have to do anything about it, or mention it ever again, but they just wanted you to-”   
  
“NO!” A vine slaps your wrist,  _ hard, _ and you draw back, yelping at the sharp pain. The letter floats to the ground. “I’ve had it with them! I don’t care about what they want, what they’re trying to do, what they feel, and I certainly don’t care about THEM!”   
  
“Oh.” You weakly say, cradling your wrist against your sternum. “You, uh, coulda just said no.” Damn, that stings.   
  
“YOU! IDIOT!” Flowey’s face is a mixture of pain and grief. His eyes dart to your wrist, then back into your eye sockets. He opens his mouth, as if he wants to say something, but he just lets out a muffled “AGH!” before disappearing into the ground.   
  
At least the letter disappears with him.    
  
After a few minutes of silence, you glance down at your wrist, hissing. The tip of your radius looks cracked and somewhat swollen. You tenderly poke at it, frowning. Your guard was down. There is no way Flowey could have injured you like this if you didn’t trust him like you did. This is definitely not going to help you rebuild Sans’ opinion of Flowey.   
  
Toriel is waiting at the front door when you return. You give her a sheepish grin as she frowns, taking in the troubled expression on your face and the way you’re holding your arm. Her steps are quick and without further ado, she is turning your injured wrist over with a gentle paw.    
  
“I have heard that there was an altercation.” She informs you, “But that you were attacked, and not the other way around.”   
  
“You have spies here or something?” You snap, letting out another pained hiss when she presses against the sensitive bone.   
  
“Something like that.” There is a wicked gleam in her eye when she says this, and you gulp. “Come. I will heal your injury.”   
  
She leads you into the kitchen and sits you down at the table. You squirm in an overly large wooden chair as she again studies the damaged radius. “Your friend did not enjoy your company, I assume.” She comments.   
  
“We have a… mutual acquaintance.” You respond carefully, watching as her paw glows green. “They and Flowey aren’t on speaking terms, but they wanted to change that. Thought a letter might do the trick. They were wrong.”   
  
“Obviously.” Toriel scoffs, “When someone does not want to hear from, or speak to, another, it is best to respect that decision. Such things are not done without serious contemplation.” The green magic envelopes the cracked bone, mending the edges until you can’t tell there even was an injury in the first place. That done, she turns toward the counter.   
  
“...A lot of monsters tried convincing you to go back to the king, didn’t they?” You softly comment. The queen’s back stiffens, then relaxes as she turns back towards you. She is carrying a plate with a slice of pie on it.   
  
“You are correct.” She places the plate in front of you and takes the seat next to yours. “Please, eat. The magic in the food will reinforce the healing I did to your wrist.”   
  
You pick up the offered fork and carefully take a small piece of pie. Half expecting snail pie again, you are startled when the taste is surprisingly sweet. “Oh, woah.”   
  
“Do you like it?” She seems pleased. “It is my famous butterscotch-cinnamon pie.”   
  
“It delicious.” You quickly stuff another forkful into your mouth.   
  
She smiles at your compliment and the room seems to grow brighter. You can now see why Frisk and Sans talk so highly of her. Maybe the two of you just got off on the wrong foot when you first met.    
  
“I see that you are still wearing that sweater I gave you.” She comments.   
  
“Well, yeah.” You put the fork down on the empty plate. “It’s the best sweater I’ve ever had. Did you enchant it or something?”   
  
“Fire magic.” She explains, “And it is a very good sweater. I made it for my husband, a long time ago.”   
  
“This was Asgore’s?!” Frowning, you look down at it. “No way this fit him!” It makes you feel kind of warm, though, knowing that you’re wearing something that once touched his fur.   
  
No! Bad skeleton! You’re talking to his  _ wife _ .   
  
“Oh, well.” She nervously giggles, not noticing your sudden discomfort. “I admit, I do have a temper at times! A short time after I returned to this place, I found his sweater in the old wardrobe. Feeling rather spiteful, I… shrunk it in the laundry.”   
  
Stars. Why are the monsters down here so bad at revenge?! Looking down at your plate, you struggle to repress a snort of laughter.   
  
“Yes, go on.” She sighs, “You may laugh. I know how ridiculous the story sounds.” After your giggles subside, she continues. “Well, I am glad it is serving you well, at least.”   
  
“You know, if you have any other shrunk clothes…” You trail off, beaming when she giggles as well.    
  
“Oh!” She stops, closing her eyes as if in shame. “I jumped to a rather hasty conclusion when I first saw you. I must apologize for that.”   
  
“Eh.” You shrug, “You wanted to protect the human. I get it.”   
  
“I truly thought you were part of my husband’s guard.” Toriel scoffs, “Well, enough talk of the past! Tell me, how is the human doing?”   
  
“They’re fine.” You shrug, really not knowing what to say. “Excited for Gyftmas, y’know.”   
  
“It will be their first Gyftmas down here!” She excitedly replies, clasping her hands together. “Goodness, what a milestone!”   
  
“Speaking of Gyftmas…” You reach into your pocket and pull out the remaining letter. It’s slightly crumpled from your skirmish with Flowey, so you do your best to straighten in out before sliding it towards the queen. “Frisk asked me to give this to you. They say you’re not taking their calls?”   
  
Toriel blinks back tears. “Such a sweet child. I did not mean to ignore them, but my phone is missing. I have not been able to call, well, anybody.” She sniffs, then takes the envelope. “Thank you.”   
  
Mission accomplished. “Well.” You announce, standing up, “I don’t want to keep bothering you, so I think I should head back home.”   
  
“This was not a bother. It was actually pleasant.” She stands as well.   
  
“Thank you for letting me through, even if it didn’t turn out as well as I hoped.” You cringe and rub at the healed bone.    
  
“It was no trouble. However…” She hesitates and gives you a hopeful look. “Perhaps you could stay a bit longer? The night, maybe? I… I wish to gather a few things together. To give to the human.”   
  
“You don’t have to put up with me for that.” You quickly reply, “I can stop by tomorrow and pick everything up then.”   
  
“Nonsense.” She firmly replies, “I insist. Now, tell me- do you know how to bake?”    
  
The rest of the afternoon is spent in that kitchen. Pastries, cakes, pies- basically every dessert you can think of, she knows how to do by heart. You mainly assist by handing her various utensils or chopping up ingredients. Most of it is done quietly- the two of you really have anything in common, besides Frisk, but it’s pleasant enough. At least, you do not feel like running for your life and she looks a lot less likely to throw a fireball at your face.   
  
Once that is done, she gives you a set of pajamas and sends you off to a room. A child’s room, it looks like. But the bed is comfortable enough, even if it’s a little small. Once you are changed, she knocks and enters, carrying a wrapped package.   
  
“This is for you.” She tells you, “Open it on Gyftmas, would you? Consider it a ‘thank you’ for taking care of the human when I could not.”   
  
“You- you don’t have to do that.” You stammer as she pushes the gift into your arms.   
  
“Nonsense. Together, we made enough food to gift your family, yes?” She asks, and you nod. “So, why should you not get anything from me as well? Now rest, child. You will have a bit of a hike to do in the morning!”   
  
The queen closes the door behind her, leaving you to your privacy. Sighing, you look around once again, and there’s a soft pain in your SOUL when you see the container full of children’s shoes.   
  
Leaving her present on the bed, you kneel down to take a closer look. They’re all pretty old, you think. The oldest looking pair looks like something from ancient times, all cracked leather and brass buckles, and the newest looks like sneakers made in the early nineties. They’re all pretty beat up and full of holes and tears.    
  
“A time capsule full of shoes.” You observe, sighing. Toriel must have collected them over the years. Most likely from the garbage dump, though you have to wonder how. Doesn’t she stay here, in the ruins? Next to the shoes is a toy box, full of old blocks and baby dolls. You smirk at this before going to your inventory. You find the doll you bought at the market the other day, and bring it out to place it amongst the other toys. She looks a lot less creepy there than by herself, you think. Toriel’s present takes her slot. You don’t want to forget it in the morning.    
  
The closet is full of children’s clothing, all striped shirts and shorts and pretty little dresses. It’s like they all belonged to different kids. And on the shelf- they are all for young readers, but the subjects wildly vary. From history and science to science fiction and fantasy. You even see a few old preteen romance novels. And the walls and floor of the room itself… it’s a gender neutral, red paint and wooden floors. It’s… designed for any child, really, who happens by. The queen probably  _ did  _ have many children living with her, once upon a time.   
  
Your phone buzzes, and you fumble with the device before turning on the display. It’s Sans. You curse under your breath. Of course he’s calling to check on you. You’ve been gone for basically the entire day!   
  
“Hey.” You answer, voice hushed.   
  
“everything okay?” He curtly asks. You cringe. The other skeleton must’ve been worrying.   
  
“Yeah. The queen let me into the ruins.”    
  
“what, really?” Sans sounds surprised. “so then why’ve you been gone the whole day? did she get your goat or something?”   
  
“That… doesn’t even make any sense?” You say, furrowing your brow. “Low effort, my friend.”   
  
“yeah, you’re right.” He agrees.   
  
“Anyway, it looks like I’m spending the night.” You inform him. There’s a brief moment of silence, and then he snickers. “That’s not funny.”   
  
“and here you were, worrying about it.” He says, “told ya, tori’s a pretty chill gal.”   
  
“Sans.” You hiss, “I’ve been wearing her husband’s sweater all this time. She shrunk it on purpose!”   
  
“pfffft.”   
  
“To  _ spite _ him, Sans.”   
  
“heheheh.”   
  
“Good night!” You snap, face flushing. You hang up to his laughter.   
  
It takes another hour to actually fall asleep. Hey, it’s a new, strange room. And not just any room- a room that probably housed about seven dead children. That’s kind of creepy, right? But once you stop thinking about it, sleep comes easy.   
  
But, just before you actually are asleep, movement catches your eye sockets. You leave them half closed, peering into the darkness until a familiar yellow flower pops up. A vine tugs at your blankets until your wrist is exposed. Then there’s a quiet sigh- of relief maybe? And then he’s gone. 

 

Jeez. And here you thought that cacti were the most tsundere of plants.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	42. The Shrine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is me, trying to add a bit of background lore. Mt. Ebott is a mysterious place indeed.

You start the day by almost stepping on a slice of pie. You stare down at it, confused. At least, until you spy a note right next to it. Stooping down, you grab both items and sit back on the bed. Letting out a large yawn, you proceed to read:  
  
_Good morning, my child. I am sorry that I was unable to say my goodbyes in person, but there are pressing matters that were brought to my attention. Your clothing is on the dresser. I refreshed the enchantments and added a little something extra. I remember you saying you did not like the cold when we first met, so I thought you would appreciate it on your way back to town. The door downstairs will open for you, and will lock once again when you leave. Make sure you take the boxes on the kitchen table! We worked quite hard on those pastries._   
  
_Sincerely,_   
  
_Toriel_   
  
Scratching your skull, you refold the paper. What pressing matters? Things seem very peaceful and, well, boring in the ruins. Especially when there aren’t any little humans to worry about. You let out a tiny, wistful sigh, figuring maybe Toriel just doesn’t like saying farewell.   
  
You eat the slice of pie and put on your clothes, pausing only to sniff at the fabric. It smells freshly laundered, and you have to wonder when she had the time to do that. Nevertheless, you appreciate the gesture. Especially when you pull the fabric over your head and it feels ten times warmer than it had ever before.   
  
The new item is a scarf. It’s a golden yellow color, and by the feel of it, made with the same material as the sweater. “Jeez, lady…” You laugh. “Do you really want me to look like royalty?” In the days of old, human kings and queens wore purple and gold to signify their social status, and monsters followed that tradition as well. Something about purple dye being rare and expensive to make? Still, you clumsily wrap it around your neck. That done, you grab the empty plate and venture towards the kitchen.   
  
The baked goods are indeed in one large box, wrapped in festive paper. Chuckling, you put it in your phone’s inventory. That way, you figure it can wait and still be as fresh as ever on Gyftmas. You still have cinnamon buns from over a month ago that still taste fresh, after all.   
  
When the plate is washed and you double checked to make sure you have everything, you head downstairs. There’s nothing else for you to do in the ruins. You did what you came here for. Still, it’s kind of sad not to be able to talk to the queen again. Maybe even invite her over for Gyftmas, though you doubt she’d actually accept. You don’t know her well, but you can tell she’s a stubborn one.   
  
Just as she wrote, the door swings open with nothing more than a touch from your phalanges. Of course it does. You have a feeling the door’s made so that only magic can open it. More specifically, only Toriel’s magic. You wonder if Asgore would even be able to knock it down. The slab of stone closes the moment you step through, into the cold, wintery forests of Snowdin.   
  
You stand there in the snow and take a deep breath of the cold air. No one comes out this far, so you’re truly alone. The only thing you hear is the wind howling across the dark cavern that hangs high above your skull. It kind of echoes, if you pay attention. A little reminder that there’s no sky above.   
  
A particularly strong gust of wind hits you in the face, and the ends of your new scarf do too not soon after. You grab at the fabric and struggle with it until the winds die down again. “Shit.” You breathe, letting out a small huff of laughter.   
  
“so did she kick you out again?” Startled, you gasp as Sans walks out from behind a tree, hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. Hovering behind him is Cinnamon Bun, who greets you with a short snort.   
  
“Not this time. I think we’re okay now.” You fiddle with the scarf.   
  
“she gave you more clothes.” He observes, grin twitching. “you have no idea how to wrap that thing properly, do you?”   
  
“Shut up” You say as Sans approaches. He gestures for you to lean forward, and you do so. The shorter skeleton adjusts the scarf with practiced ease.   
  
“see? when it’s like this, the ends don’t flap in your face whenever the wind blows in your general direction.”   
  
“Thanks.” You mumble, straightening up. “What brings you all the way out here anyway?”   
  
“so, remember about three days ago when you said you wanted to help out and actually do your job instead of hanging around the house looking pretty?” Sans asks. He starts walking, and you follow after him.   
  
“Someone has to be the eye candy around here.” You comment, shrugging. “But even I get sick of doing nothing all day long.”   
  
“can’t say i understand that particular point of view. anyway, the machine’s all recalibrated and ready to take the extra strain to power a new area of the underground.” The shorter skeleton’s grin grows wider, “so now we get to the fun part.”   
  
“There’s a fun part?” You watch as Sans’ blaster rushes ahead of the two of you to plunge into a particularly large snow poff.   
  
“in order to get a new area, we’re gonna have to make room for it.” He chuckles at this, “alphys wanted to use traditional explosives, but the king raised a question about it being too dangerous. as he recalls, many monsters got injured when they started carving into new home. but then, i remembered that i still have a blaster out and about-”   
  
“Cinnamon Bun.” You correct him, and proceed to pat said creature on the snout when it bounds back towards you, snow dribbling from its jaws. “See? It even remembers its name.”   
  
“okay, fine.” Sans grunts. “ _cinnamon bun_ is still out and about. figure we can put ‘em to use. it knows how to use its beam with a hell of a lot more accuracy than alphys’ explosives or mettaton’s bombs. but, uh… some things are still uncertain. that’s where you come in.”   
  
“Hm?” You encourage him to continue.   
  
“your shields.” He elaborates, “in case of sudden cave ins or whatever, you can use your shields. i know you’ve been gettin’ better with them, so it would be great if you join us today.”   
  
“You sure you can trust me with that?” You warily ask.   
  
“hey, no pressure.” He elbows your side, “but, yeah. i trust that you won’t allow us to be crushed to death.”   
  
“Hah.” You roll your eye sockets. “Well, thanks for the vote of confidence. So, where is this new expansion going to be?”   
  
“well, after much consideration…” Sans hums, “we figured the best place would have to be waterfall. anything deeper than hotland is gonna be lava, and most of snowdin would riot if we tried there, so there we have it. there’s one spot that looks good for tunneling without risk of flooding the entire place more than it is. that’s where we are headed now.”   
  
“Snowdin, rioting?” You scoff.   
  
“we’re a small town, pal. most of us want to keep it that way.”   
  
“Okay, so how far is this place from here… Oh.” You dumbly look around, finding yourself in a dark, humid tunnel. Besides you, Cinnamon Bun makes a distressed noise when the snow in its jaws melts and dribbles on the ground. “I… forgot that you could do that. I thought your limit was three dogs?”   
  
“two skeletons and a blaster is way less than three dogs.” Sans winks. “now, c’mon. alph already has the site set up.”   
  
“And you’re sure you can trust me with keeping you all safe?” You press as he leads you deeper into the tunnel.   
  
“if it makes you feel any better, i’m pretty sure you’ll just be standing around looking pretty more than anything else.” He responds. “i really doubt we’ll be causing a cave in.”   
  
“Sans!” You complain just as Alphys and… Mettaton? They come into view. The robot, looking all shiny and brand new, is prodding an instrument against parts of the wall, a bored expression on his stupid bishounen face. The small yellow lizard is scribbling onto her datapad, looking troubled.   
  
“we’re back.” Sans announces, and Alphys looks up.   
  
“G-good! H-hey, Bones!” She gives you a wide grin. “Y-you won’t believe this, b-but from the r-readings Mettaton picked up, i-it looks like there is a giant cavern j-just ahead of us!”   
  
“a cavern? in the mountain?” The shorter skeleton’s pupils go towards Mettaton, who stops what he is doing to give him a sharp look.   
  
“Believe it or not, darling.” He quips, “As far as we know, it’s not natural. The instruments can’t tell what’s in there either. As far as today goes, we may discover something completely new!”   
  
“you mean something old. this cavern has been here for over a thousand years.”   
  
“Alphys!” Ignoring Sans, the star of the underground twirls towards the royal scientist, eyes wide and pleading. “Are you absolutely certain you don’t want my camera crew here? Imagine, the ratings!”   
  
“N-no.” She replies.   
  
“what do you think might be in there?” Sans asks.   
  
“I saw a movie about this once.” You comment.   
  
“i wasn’t asking you.”   
  
“Sans!” Alphys admonishes.   
  
“what? do you have any idea what this guy’s taste in movies are? he was gonna say something creepy, like those weeping angel statues he went on about the other day.”   
  
“W-weeping angels?” She gives you a confused look.   
  
“I was thinking more along the lines of mutant humans that were trapped down there for centuries.” You weakly reply.   
  
“Mutant humans?” Mettaton scoffs, “Surely, you can not be serious!”   
  
“In the movie they went all cannibal on the group that decided to go spelunking on their vacation.”   
  
“wait a second.” Sans turns to you, face comically expressing his disbelief. “why in the world do humans do that? are they crazy? i mean, even without the mutant humans who want to eat them, isn’t that kind of dangerous?”   
  
“It’s for the thrill of it, I guess.” You give him an uncomfortable grin. “Some even go on planes, fly waaaaaay up in the air, and then jump.”   
  
“because fuck gravity i guess.” He rubs the bridge of his nasal cavity, “please tell me this isn’t some human rite of passage that frisk is gonna go through one day.”   
  
“Can’t. Sorry. Frisk is already kind of an adrenaline junkie.”   
  
“Anyway,” Mettaton pipes up, “As fascinating as this conversation is, perhaps we should get started?”   
  
“Y-yes, please.” Alphys looks worried now. You give her a reassuring grin.   
  
“I’m willing to bet the entire cavern will be empty.” You give her a one armed hug, “It’s just exciting to speculate about.”   
  
“I… I know.” She sighs, “I… I j-just don’t want anything to go w-wrong! I-if… if something happens, it’ll be my fault! I s-suggested t-this to the king, after all!”   
  
“and asgore approved it.” Sans interjects, “so he gets part of the blame too. no worries, doc. we got this.”   
  
“Shouldn’t there be more monsters here?” You suddenly ask, “I mean, there are only four of us.” For a project as large as this, you’d think there’d be more workers.   
  
“T-that’s after we get a clearing.” Alphys smiles, “C-construction can begin o-once we c-clear a big enough area. A-and, it might be easier than we thought. E-especially if there’s a cavern n-nearby!”   
  
“Only a few meters, even!” Mettaton squirms in place. He might even be salivating. “Oh, are you sure I can’t use my bombs?”   
  
“c’mere, tough guy.” Sans says, gesturing for Cinnamon Bun. The blaster, until now, has been hovering in the background looking bored. Now it surges forward, eyes blazing yellow and blue in excitement. “we need to be a bit more precise than that, and you know it, mets.”   
  
“Oh, look. Another gorgeous skeleton creature.” With a put upon sigh, Mettaton backs away from the wall to stand besides you and Alphys. He crosses his arms and pouts. “If my self esteem wasn’t as marvelous as I am, I would be feeling rather envious right about now.”   
  
“What.” You say, raising your brows.   
  
“Just watch.”   
  
So you watch. Sans’ left eye blazes the same color as the blaster’s, and with a soft grunt of acknowledgement, Cinnamon Bun unhinges its jaws. A beam, just like from the ones you encountered in the void, erupts and strikes the tunnel wall. The shorter skeleton frowns and makes another gesture, and the blaster’s jaw slowly closes until the beam becomes thinner. More precise, you think. A pen’s stroke rather than a paintbrush’s broader swipe.   
  
With a laser like precision, Sans directs the blaster to cut a new passageway into the solid rock. He’s shaping it into a hallway, large enough so that building materials and other types of equipment can fit through. Mettaton lets out a husky sigh, one hand covering his mouth. And is… is that a blush?!   
  
“Oh my.” Mettaton looks over and gives you a sly grin. “Now this is a side of that skeleton that I do not mind seeing at all.”   
  
You’re about to seriously kink shame this guy, because there’s no way in hell do you want to witness him trying to hit on any monster, let alone Sans , but then you hear a short, but loud blast, followed by crumbling rock. The debris falling around the tunnel temporarily blinds you. There is no seeing what happened, but at least you can tell the ceiling isn’t falling down. Sans lets out a soft curse, and Cinnamon Bun stops its attack, chirping in confusion.   
  
“I-is everything alright?” Alphys timidly asks. Sans blinks, and just like that the magic in his eye socket disappears.   
  
“that was faster than i expected.” He grunts, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. “good work, buddy.”   
  
You never thought you’d see a blaster look so happy before.   
  
Together, you walk through the newly created hall. Like Mettaton predicted, it is only a few meters to walk before you find yourself in a large cavern. It’s another area, you quickly realize- Another area where the sun is able to reach. The sun’s rays are bearing down towards the center of the cavern, enveloping the manmade stone that made up what appears to be a small building.You peer up at the cavern’s ceiling, barely making out the hole that lets the sunlight in. Alphys, besides you, quietly gasps, coming to a halt at the sight.   
  
It looks simple enough to you. A square building supported by vine covered columns. Delicate symbols and drawings are carved into the stone, none of which do you recognize. The entrance to the thing are large stone slabs that are held slightly ajar. More than enough for you to squeeze through.   
  
“I don’t think a monster made that.” You say, stepping forward. Sans makes a noise and grabs your sleeve. “What?”   
  
“you are not walking into the spooky scary by yourself.” He mutters. Snickering, you let him keep a hold of you as you walk towards the entrance.   
  
A statue of a human woman stands at the center of the building, which is nothing more than a single room. She is tall. Very tall, almost dwarfing Asgore in size. Long hair hangs down over her shoulders. She wears robes and a witch’s hat. In her hands is a long staff. You can’t help but note that there is a kind smile on her face. Scattered around her feet are dried flower petals and leaves.   
  
“This is a shrine.” You think out loud. “But why in the middle of Mr. Ebott?”   
  
“was this made before the barrier was?” Sans asks, “hey, alph! get in here!”   
  
Alphys scrambles inside, face paling when she catches sight of the statue before her. “O-oh my!” She says, voice hushed. “I-is, is that a sorceress?”   
  
“Well…” You slowly say. “She certainly has the costume for it.”   
  
“I-if that’s true, do you know what that can mean?!” Alphys shrieks.   
  
“No.” You reply, confused.   
  
“W-what if there are more of these?” She continues, “M-maybe, b-before the war, this e-entire mountain was used by human sorcerers!”   
  
“And after all this time, only now we discover something like this?” You ask, somewhat reasonably you think.   
  
“W-we only dug in as far as what we needed.” Alphys moans, “T-the ruins, Snowdin, Waterfall, Hotland, and N-new Home. Mt. Ebott is way bigger than just that, I- I think?”   
  
“Beauty and gentlebeauties!” Mettaton’s voice rings out from the outside. “I may have found something useful!”   
  
“Sure he did.” You snark.   
  
“thought you two sorted everything out.” Sans snickers.   
  
“I just don’t like him much. Reminds me too much of another pushy monster I know.” You sigh.   
  
Still, once Mettaton joins up with the three of you, he proudly produces a scroll. “There is a small addition behind this structure.” He explains, “With a few more scrolls that look exactly like this. But! I can’t seem to read it.”   
  
“me neither.” Sans admits, scowling as he scans the symbols written on the parchment. “that’s… surprising.”   
  
“I-it only proves this is a human sorcerer’s handiwork!” Alphys says, “T-they’d be the only ones capable of… of w-writing something w-we can’t decipher!”   
  
Briefly, you remember how you had to study for years to grasp the language of hands. And the fact that, despite nearly two years of Alvaro trying to teach you, you still can’t speak spanish. “What are you talking about?” You ask. “There are plenty of languages I can’t understand.”   
  
Sans and Alphys exchange a look, and there’s a sinking feeling in your SOUL.   
  
“i’m tellin’ ya, if that guy wasn’t already dust…” Sans shakes his head as Alphys nervously twitters.   
  
“So it’s another thing he took from me, huh?” You despondently say. “Damn.”   
  
“you haven’t tried reading other languages yet.” The other skeleton is quick to reassure you, “it’s probably there, you just need an opportunity to find out.”   
  
“Who are you talking about?” Mettaton asks, confused. You roll your eyes and wander over to the other side of the shrine. It’s not far enough that you can’t hear Sans’ low murmurs and Alphys’ quiet ramblings, but just enough that you can’t make out any words. You don’t need to revisit all the shit Impact did to you.   
  
Sighing, you lean against one of the many stone columns that line the shrine. After a few minutes Sans quietly joins you. “Monsters can understand different languages.” You observe.   
  
“yup.” He closes his eyes and leans some of his weight on you. It’s a comforting pressure. “kinda strange, that you can’t. frisk told me you know hands?”   
  
“I studied that damn language for years.” You moan.   
  
“good. gaster told me it was developed so that the only way someone can read it is if someone who already knows it teaches them.” He glares up at the statue. “something tells me that whatever’s on that scroll was developed the same way, and the only chance we got is if we hand the scroll over to a monster that’s lived during the war.”   
  
“So we’re giving it to the king then?” You ask.   
  
“nah.” Sans shakes his head. “no way are we gonna bug him about this. i’m thinkin’ we should get gaster in on this though.”   
  
“Wait. How old is Gaster?” You ask, “I mean, I know he created the core, but-”   
  
“you guys up on the surface know about BOSS monsters, right?” Sans ask. You nod. BOSS monsters are a special kind of being. Their magic are known to be off the charts, and they’re almost impossible to take down in one on one combat. On top of that, unless they reproduce, they’re essentially immortal. In the past, BOSS monsters took advantage of this by tricking clueless humans into worshipping them like gods. Hey, anything to survive in a world where your kind were relentlessly hunted down, right? “so, down here, we have four of ‘em. there’s that old tortoise gerson, queen toriel, king asgore, and…” He cringes. “gaster. though he wasn’t really involved when it came to battling the humans.”   
  
“Oh.” You faintly reply. “So, what did he do then?”   
  
“mainly involved in developing magical weapons.” Is what he replies, “but he doesn’t like to talk about that much. he was also in charge of the main pow encampment. made sure all our human captives were fed and watered enough, that they couldn’t escape… that whole thing.”   
  
“And he would know how to read the scroll becaaaause?”   
  
“because he developed the magic needed to make hands indecipherable. if anyone can undo that kinda spell, it would be him.” Sans is quick to reply. “that said, and considering what we just found, we’re calling it a day. i don’t think we want to build anything here, with that… statue. at least, not until that scroll is translated.”   
  
“Too bad.” You cross and uncross your arms, fidgeting. “I think the monsters that move here would enjoy that glimpse of the sky.”   
  
Mettaton and Alphys are talking in hushed tones when the two of you rejoin them. The yellow lizard goes silent, but the robot folds his hands in front of himself and approaches you. Stiffening, you defensively edge behind Sans, who looks amused at being used like a living shield.   
  
With a put upon sigh, Mettaton speaks. “Darling, I, once again, must apologize to you. Believe me, if I ever had an inkling of what you must have went through-”   
  
“I’d rather not talk about it.” You interject.   
  
“I insulted you.” He looks down at the ground. “I unfairly thought you refused to use your magic in a fight because you were an uncouth youth, intending to dishonor me.”   
  
“Dishonor you.” You repeat in a questioning manner.   
  
“He… hasn’t taught you anything, has he?” Mettaton looks theatrically distressed. “Oh dear. Sans, you must take care of this at once! But, until then, I suppose I can explain. Refusing to use your magic in a magical duel is meant to insult your opponent. It’s as if you were to refuse to take off your shoes as a guest in someone’s home, or refusing to eat a host’s cooking!” He gasps in outrage at the thought. “And, so, I insulted you back. By insinuating, on live television, that you were unable…” He pauses. Probably for effect. “I did not know I hit very close to the truth. Please, forgive my transgressions!”   
  
“pal. buddy. you really need to work on those apologies of yours.” Sans says when all you can do is stand there in stunned silence.   
  
Alphys slaps her forehead with the palm of her hand. With an annoyed huff, Sans pulls you back towards the exit.   
  
“What? What did I say?” Is all you hear before the sound of Snowdin hit your ear canals once again.


	43. A Mattress For Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a regular day spent in the company of friends. Nothing to see here. Really.

Gaster shifts, a disembodied hand tracing over the various symbols that are scrawled on the old piece of parchment. As you slowly sip your coffee, eye sockets studying the old scientist closely, he uncomfortably clears his throat. You squirm in your spot on the couch, trying to get comfortable without breaking your gaze. The cushion shifts as you move, and it must be disturbing the other skeleton, but he does not make a comment. Gaster’s own eye sockets don’t leave the scroll, but for every moment you watch him, the more his figure tenses. After a while his bones might even start rattling, you think. Kind of weird to think about, but Gaster has been acting very strange- well, even stranger than he normally is, ever since Sans plopped the scrolls onto his lap. Which was last night, after he came back from another failed apology to Mopsy. According to Papyrus, the cake did not go over well. At all.    
  
“Would you cease staring at me like that?!” He finally snaps.    
  
“Sorry.” You apologize without meaning it, “It’s just… weird.”   
  
“Weird.” He repeats in a mocking tone.   
  
“Yeah. I didn’t know skeletons could be BOSS monsters.” You watch as his jaw tenses, “Usually, in media, we’re always cast as, like, the evil minions or thralls to the lich king.”   
  
“I see.” He sighs and irritably rubs a hand against his forehead. Was he sweating? “And, what? Are you envious of my condition? I assure you, immortality is not what others assume it to be.”   
  
“Seems kinda lonely to me.” You recall King Asgore, alone in his castle. Queen Toriel, secluding herself in the ruins. Gerson, the mighty hammer of justice, getting upset over an old pair of glasses. None of them seem really happy.    
  
“I have had many pupils over the years.” Gaster acknowledges your words, finally turning away from the scroll to look directly at you. His face reflects nothing but resignation. “Do you know what a master really wants from their students? Blind devotion? Absolute loyalty? Good grades?”   
  
“I’m going to guess that’s a no to all of those things.”   
  
“What they want,” The ex royal scientist says, “is for their students to surpass them. And, being who I am, being what I am, that is simply not possible. All the students I had- all that I ever will have, they will perish before me, and I will continue with my work until the next stumbles into my shadow.”   
  
“so why don’t you go and have a kid or something?” Sans pipes up, appearing in the living room like he was there the entire time. His grin seems strained. You can’t blame him. “seriously, g, you don’t have to be the silent broody type forever, y’know?”   
  
“Ugh.” Gaster sighs, “I refuse to curse a mate with myself just for the purpose of reproduction.”   
  
“i was thinking you can join a dating site. we have one now, y’know.”   
  
“Are you serious? All those years, those bone breaking years, of trying to bring stable power to the underground,” Gaster sputters, “And you  _ squander  _ them with… with that?!”   
  
“Think it’s called ‘social media’.” You hum.   
  
“the mtt emporium is thinking of online ordering and delivery too.” Sans thoughtfully adds, “i’m trying to wear down grillby so that there’d be more competition, but so far he ain’t buying it.”   
  
“I quiver with fear for this generation.” Gaster says.   
  
“well doc, unless you’re aiming to marry the king or gerson, your only chance is with a monster of ‘this’ generation.” The shorter skeleton points out.   
  
“You assume I even want a mate in the first place.” He turns his attention back to the scroll.   
  
“okay, g. i get you.” Sans shrugs, “i won’t bring it up anymore. so, hey, how’s the scroll reading going?”   
  
“Everything is gibberish.”    
  
“so… it’s going okay?”   
  
“Go away, Sans.”   
  
“heh.” Sans shares an amused glance with you. “just like old times.”   
  
There’s a knock on the door. Gaster irritably sighs and begins rubbing his temples. Laughing, you get up. “Probably Alphys. We are supposed to go shopping today.” You explain.   
  
Upon opening the door, you are greeted with Mettaton’s face. Without thinking you shut the door.    
  
“not alphys?” Sans asks, plopping on top of the sofa cushion you just vacated.    
  
“Not Alphys.” You agree, cringing when you hear Mettaton whine “Daaarling?!” through the wooden door.    
  
“Is that the robot from the television?” Gaster asks, rolling up the parchment in defeat.    
  
“Yes.” You say in despair, “I really hope Alphys didn’t invite him.”   
  
“knowing the tincan,” Sans says, “he probably invited himself.”   
  
A rapid succession of knocks brings your attention back to the door. “Just what I need. A big production when all I want to do is buy presents.”   
  
“Stop being dramatic.” The old scientist gets up, approaches your position leaning against the door, and gently nudges you to the side. You whine, but comply. He then opens the door. “Can I help you?”   
  
“Oh!” Mettaton exclaims in surprise, “Why, yes. Yes. You. Can.”   
  
Annoyance is rolling off Gaster in waves, but he opens the door further and gestures for the star to come inside. Mettaton struts in, smiling like a cat that just ate your canary. “Well then, state your business so that I can get back to mine.”   
  
“I was simply joining my dear friend Alphys and her wonderful girlfriend on their excursion into the capital today.” Mettaton examines his metallic fingernails. “And imagine my surprise when they mentioned that they intended to bring another old friend along with them! Bones, why didn’t you tell me we were going shopping yesterday? I had to rearrange my social calendar and everything!”   
  
You give him a dirty look.   
  
“mets, where are undyne and alphys anyway?” Sans interrupts, looking bored and half asleep already. You kind of want to join him.   
  
“Oh! Hello, Sans.” Mettaton purrs as you twitch. “Fancy meeting you here.”   
  
“yeah, especially considering i live here and all.”   
  
“Still, I know how busy you must be. And, I admit, in my excitement I went ahead of them.” The robot innocently shrugs. “They should be here shortly.”   
  
“Is this real life?” You whisper to Gaster.   
  
“That is debatable.” He whispers back.   
  
“So, Sans, tell me…” Mettaton takes a seat on the couch and leans forward, resting his chin on the palms of his hands, “When will you be coming back to the resort? Your many fans have been missing your performances.”   
  
Sans stares incredulously at him. “you fired me last month, remember?”   
  
“I… I what?” He sputters in surprise.   
  
“yeah. something about standards and eating unapproved food items while onstage.” The shorter skeleton digs into his pocket. “i got the letter here somewhere…”   
  
“No, no, no!” Mettaton quickly interrupts, waving his hands frantically. “No need for that! My, well, I will have to have a talk with my people! I certainly did not make that decision-”   
  
“you gave me the letter.” He points out. “by hand. it even has your signature on it.”   
  
“Sans.” Gaster says in a small voice, “Why do you even have that letter on you?”   
  
“i was gonna pawn it.” Sans admits, “it’s a real signature, not from one of those stamps. worth a lot of gold nowadays.”   
  
“It wouldn’t take longer than a month to sell such a thing to an idiotic fan!”   
  
“i was busy.” Sans averts his eye sockets. “with… other things.”   
  
“What, sleeping?!”   
  
“Hey, guys!” Undyne pops her head in, a confused look on her face. “We’re here for the punk! And, well, Mettaton I guess?”   
  
“Really!” Mettaton gasps in outrage, standing up while putting a hand on his chest.   
  
“Alphys is waiting by the river person.” She says, starting to look annoyed. “You know how she gets in the cold. Hurry the hell up!”   
  
Pouting, the robotic star nods. “Yes, of course. Sans, dear, please disregard that terrible letter! Feel free to come back to me at any time.” He pats the smaller skeleton on the shoulder. “Any. Time.” He emphasizes, looking directly into his eye sockets. Sans cringes and scoots further back into the couch. Mettaton heaves a burdened sigh and trudges out the door.    
  
“What in the world was that all about?!” Undyne shouts. You shrug, Gaster mutters under his breath, and Sans looks at his shoulder with a perturbed look on his face.    
  
“I will be in my study.” Gaster announces, ignoring Undyne entirely by practically running into his room. The door slams closed behind him.   
  
“Dude, was that your dad?” Undyne asks.   
  
“he has a daily people quota.” Sans replies without answering her, “after a certain amount of company he gets all grouchy. sorry, bass.”   
  
“Ngah, whatever.” Undyne shakes her head, frowning at her employee. “Listen, Alphys told me about what you guys discovered yesterday, so I went ahead and assigned myself to watch over everything the next time you decide to go back there.”   
  
“it’s just a statue.”   
  
“When it comes to humans,” Undyne coldly replies, “You never know.”   
  
When the two of you finally leave, Mettaton is nowhere to be seen. “Must’ve went back to Alphys.” The captain of the guard tells you as you start walking.   
  
“Why did he even want to come along in the first place.” You complain, kicking at the snow covered ground.    
  
“I don’t know.” She snickers at your distress.    
  
“He’s acting really weird around Sans, too.” It makes you feel odd just thinking about it.   
  
“If what you’re really saying is, ‘why is that doofus flirting with Sans’ then I hate to be the burden of bad news.” Undyne takes a deep breath, making a face when she exhales and the fog gets in her eye. “Mettaton flirts with everyone. Alphys said he practically molested you the first time you met!”   
  
“Yeah, I remember.” You shudder.     
  
“I don’t think he means anything by it when he does it.” She scratches at a fin. “One of his employees once told me they caught him flirting with the toaster oven once!”   
  
“How does Alphys put up with that.” You wonder.   
  
“Did she ever tell you about that human fanclub she ran?” Undyne asks. When you shake your head, she continues. “Really? That’s how she and Mettaton met. They’re like, the only monsters down here that really  _ really  _ like human culture. I mean, I like watching and reading their history too, but they’re such NERDS about it!”   
  
“I remember them mentioning something like that.” You think back to the ‘apology’ Mettaton gave you, the day after your little accident. “Didn’t say it was a club though.”   
  
“Well, anyway, the point is-” Undyne gestures wildly, “Once Alphys is your friend, she ALWAYS will be your friend. You can treat her like absolute CRAP and she would still help you if you ask!”   
  
“I can see that.” You softly comment. Flowey said the same thing about you. Interesting.   
  
“Mettaton used her.” Undyne sighs, “Acting like he was her best friend, but once he started getting famous, he left her high and dry. Except when he wanted upgrades, of course. But, well… that’s supposed to be a secret, alright?! Don’t tell Alphys I’m telling you this!”   
  
“I won’t.” You promise.   
  
“I really really want to blame Mettaton for being such a user.” She says after a few terse moments of silence. “But I don’t think he even knows what he’s doing. The hurt he caused. I mean, he’s been hanging out a lot with her again, but that just makes me suspicious, you know?! Like, what does he want now?!”   
  
“Guess you just need to keep an eye out for her.” You suggest. The boat comes into view, along with said yellow lizard and metallic robot.   
  
“Damn right I am.” She mutters, giving you an affectionate nudge. You manage not to topple headfirst into the snow. “We’re back!” She announces, bounding over to Alphys and giving her a loud kiss on the crown of her head.   
  
“I- I can see that!” Alphys laughs, blushing.   
  
“Hey, doc.” You greet, giving her a grin.   
  
“R-ready to go?” She asks you.   
  
“Yup.” You pat your pocket, where your phone resides.    
  
“Winter is nearly over.” The river person tells you, and with that you’re off.   
  
The capital is just as you remember it. Roaming crowds, busy shops, and you find yourself checking your pockets more than once in case of any other opportunistic pickpockets. Undyne walks ahead of the group, easily clearing the way. You and Alphys walk right behind her, and Mettaton is right behind you. At least, he is when he’s not going off to greet his ‘adoring fans’.    
  
You have to admit, though- he does interact with the other monsters very nicely. When he talks to them, they’re the center of his attention. And his fans seem to adore him in return. Odd, considering the behavior Undyne just described to you earlier. Just goes to show what sorts of masks others wear for strangers.    
  
“Should I get something for Asgore?” You mutter to Alphys, who seems to perk up at your question.   
  
“T-that would be nice of you.” She suggestively says, “D-do you need suggestions?”   
  
“Tea?” You meekly respond, and she nods.   
  
“T-that’s always safe. B-but you know what you also can do?” At your confused look, she leans over to whisper, “Y-you can put a bow on y-your head a-and-”   
  
“Nope!” You shriek, blushing purple as she laughs at your reaction. “Not happening. You’re supposed to be helping me, not teasing me!”   
  
“S-sorry!” She gasps, “I couldn’t help it!”   
  
“Oh, we teasing him about Asgore now?!” Undyne turns around to flash a toothy grin in your direction.   
  
“No, we are not!” You protest.   
  
“H-he’s still shy about it, Undyne.” Alphys says, patting your arm. You pull away, frowning. “Bones? Are you okay?”   
  
You know they’re only teasing you and don’t mean anything by it. But it still sucks. Giving her a small smile, you duck into a random shop.    
  
You’ve had crushes. Quite a few of them, actually. As a babybones, as a teenager, as an adult- and they all ended up the same. Unrequited. So, after a while, whenever a new crush shows up in your life, you tend to… ignore it. Sure, let the feelings flow. It’s nice to feel giddy about a special someone. But you like to keep it to yourself. And that’s just not the case with the king. Hell, even a stranger, watching you interact with him for all of thirty minutes, was able to grasp these embarrassing feelings of yours!   
  
“D-did I say something wrong?” Alphys stammers, catching up to you. You study some random knickknacks on the shelf in front of you. Snowglobes. Most are from Ebott University, complete with that dumb mascot. You think it’s supposed to be a cowboy, but it looks like a  _ Toy Story  _ ripoff. Hah, in this one he’s riding a grazing cow. Imagine, a cow grazing in winter! “Bones!”   
  
“Sorry.” You look at her from the corner of your eye socket. She fidgets. “It’s just… you know why they’re called crushes, right?”   
  
“Y-yeah?” The royal scientist quietly sighs, “Because in the end… y-you usually get hurt.”   
  
“Right.” You confirm. “So, I’ve been waiting, you know? Waiting for these dumb feelings to go away.” Running into him and having a tea party did not help matters either.   
  
“W-why?” She sounds dumbfounded at the thought.    
  
“Because he is royalty and I’m not.” You shrug as she sputters in outrage. “It would never work out. Different worlds and all that.”    
  
“B-but you’re nice and s-sweet and handsome, and so is he!” It’s sweet that she’s protesting on your behalf. “You two get along great! Remember, you spent that time together and had tea and talked and-”   
  
“Alphys.” You gently interrupt her. “I’m pushing my luck enough as it is.” Having Sans’ and Papyrus’ support. Frisk’s friendship. Even Gaster tolerates you, and that’s saying a lot coming from an old bastard like him. The last thing you think you deserve right now is a real love interest.   
  
“S-sorry.” She fiddles with her claws. “I- I’ll stop t-teasing you.”   
  
“You don’t have to do that.” You reply. “Just, er, not so much out in the open? I don’t want to run into him and act more like a fool than I usually do.”   
  
“You don’t act like a fool.” Alphys mutters.    
  
“I’m still blushing.” You pat your cheekbones. “I can feel it.”   
  
“It- It’s adorable!” The royal scientist insists through a blush of her own.    
  
“I’m just glad Mettaton wasn’t nearby to overhear everything.”    
  
“Haha, yeah.” She looks away, “M-mettaton had a crush on you, y-you know.”   
  
_ “What.”  _ Did he tell Alphys this, or did she just assume like she normally does?   
  
“H-he got over it, though. S-so, I think he’d understand m-more about Asgore t-than I would.” She laughs, “A-after all, I e-ended up with Undyne i-in the end!”   
  
“So this crush he had on me.” You dryly comment, “Did it end before or after he blew up my face?”   
  
“Hehehehe.” Alphys nervously titters.    
  
Undyne gives the both of you an appraising look once you exit the shop. Alphys gives her a thumbs up and she smiles. “Well, let’s get this show on the road!”   
  
What follows is hours of Undyne dragging you and Alphys from shop to shop (Mettaton disappeared sometime after visiting the second one). It seems that out of all of you, she’s spent the most time at the capital. Being the captain of the royal guard, you suppose that’s a given. Still, it’s kind of amazing to watch her step through a shop and have the employees fawning over her. And, just by being associated with her, you find yourself getting all sorts of discounts and free samples.   
  
You’ve… You’ve never had a connection like that before.    
  
In the end, you find gifts for everybody. Except for Alphys and Undyne, who have taken to watching you with unholy glee every moment you stop to study something.    
  
“It’s supposed to be a surprise.” You shoot Undyne a dirty look.   
  
“Whatcha gonna do about it?” She challenges. You’re about to reply when Mettaton randomly shows up and drags you away.   
  
“Where were you?!” You yelp, staring at the girls’ shocked faces until they are out of sight.   
  
“Lurking in the shadows, darling.” He distractedly replies before dragging you down another alley. “Our favorite couple has been making it difficult for you to shop for them, am I right?”   
  
“Yeah.” You say, stumbling to a stop. You squint up at the shop he dragged you in front of. “This is… a furniture shop?”   
  
“I am quite certain Alphys is ready for ‘the next step’ so to speak.” Mettaton explains.   
  
“Wait… what?!” You shout. “Are you talking- marriage?”   
  
“Heavens no!” He laughs, “But something very close- cohabitation!”   
  
“She’s gonna ask Undyne to move in with her?!” You gasp. “Isn’t that a bit soon?”   
  
“Nothing’s too soon when it comes to love!” Mettaton happily replies. “And what better way to show your support than to gift them with their very first set of furniture!”   
  
“You, uh, do know that Alphys and Undyne have their own things, right?” You can’t help but be amused by this. Is the robot seriously trying to set up a joint Gyftmas gift from you?   
  
“Have you been in Undyne’s bedroom?” He looks smug when you shake your head. “Her mattress is a rock. This is not a metaphor, but a fact. It’s a boulder she sanded down and decorated with pillows. Certainly not suitable for our dear Alphys! And, speaking of the dear girl, that small bed, while cozy for one, is quite… unsuitable for two.”   
  
“I’m not getting them a bedroom set.” You firmly say. You have a sneaking suspicion that would be overstepping your boundaries.   
  
“No, of course not. But, perhaps, a suitable mattress?” Mettaton suggests. “They aren’t the type to get that sort of thing for themselves.”   
  
“No…” You concede, “You’re probably right.” More than likely they’d be decorating the entire lab with anime statues. “Did you have one in mind already?”   
  
Mettaton smiles, and it sort of throws you off, how genuine and soft it looks. Then he grabs your hand and drags you into the shop. Not even ten minutes later you have your last present.   
  
“I have to admit…” You slowly say, watching as Mettaton purchases food from a vendor. “You had a good idea, there. Why didn’t you get that for them?”   
  
“I already have my gifts for them.” He replies, turning towards you with another blinding grin. Handing you a sandwich, he continues. “By the way, Alphys gave me an abridged version of what has occurred after our altercation.”   
  
“Yeah, you said as much yesterday.”   
  
“My apologies.” He tucks a strand of hair(?) behind his ear. “I tend to hedge around the subject matters I truly want to discuss.”   
  
“So, how about you just bite the bullet and say what you really want to say?” You unwrap the sandwich and take a bite.   
  
“You are truly a strong monster.” Mettaton pats your cheek and you look up at him, stunned. “I know you do not truly forgive me for my actions. And I do not blame you. If I were you, and my beautiful visage was marred, oh my! I would be inconsolable! And yet, here we are, speaking so cordially! So, I have decided to inform you of my intentions!”   
  
You choke. “In.. intentions?”   
  
“I will make everything up to you!” He declares, giving you a wink. You squint back at him, wondering how the hell you ended up in this situation. “It might take days, or maybe even years-”   
  
“No, that’s okay.” You desperately interrupt, “I forgive you!”   
  
“Oh, you will.” He assures you, “Eventually.”   
  
Oh what sweet hell is this.   
  



	44. Same Story, Different Point of View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This should've been posted a few days ago but then life got in the way. Shorter than what I would have liked, but it gets things done. Once again, I decided to add a little focus to Mettaton and Bones, and how they interact with each other. I kinda feel like Mettaton hasn't gotten much attention past injuring Bones and making a half hearted apology for it so I'm making up for that. 
> 
> You can't have a true pacifist ending without befriending everyone, you know?

_ You’re in a deep sleep. The sort of sleep only innocent babes can have, all innocent and warm and devoid of all those nasty thoughts that creep upon on you during the day. And in this sleep, you are dreaming that you are floating on a cloud, basking in warm, radiant sunshine. Angels are singing to you. One hands you a caramel macchiato. Everything is so peaceful. _ __   
__   
_ “Oh, darling!” _ __   
__   
_ You sip at your drink. It’s at the perfect temperature. Not too hot, but not lukewarm. It tingles your conjured tongue pleasantly.  _ __   
__   
_ “Now, now, it’s time to get up! There is plenty of work to do!” _ __   
__   
_ Work? You frown. There is no work to be done here.  _ __   
__   
_ “That statue of ours isn’t going to investigate itself!” _ __   
__   
_ That’s when you see them. A pair of pink, thigh high boots. They glisten in the sunlight and blind you. Hissing, you cover your eye sockets. You can hear those boots click against the floor as they approach your cloud.  _ __   
__   
_ “Dear, you do look peaceful, but everyone is waiting.” Something pokes your cheek. You swat at it. “Hmph! Honestly…” Honestly, what?! You just want to enjoy your drink in peace! The angels are starting to give you dirty looks. _ __   
__   
_ “Perhaps… a kiss from a handsome prince might wake the sleeping skeleton?” The interloper teases, and shit, he’s starting to sound familiar… _   
  
You wake up to Mettaton’s face looming over yours. Your eyes meet for a split second, your skull rushing to understand what the hell is going on, before your jaw opens and you let out a loud, ear piercing, shriek. Mettaton screams back at you, looking quite confused about what’s going on, and then you instinctively headbutt him.    
  
Letting out a muffled curse, Mettaton stumbles backwards, hand pressing against his forehead. You sit up, grabbing the blankets that curled around your hips while you were asleep, and pull them up to your ribcage. Never mind that there’s no need- you are wearing one of Papyrus’ old, baggy and long, sleeping shirts, and nothing  __ indecent  can be seen. It’s the principle of the matter.   
  
“SAAAAANS!” You shriek again, and the door to Papyrus’ room slams open. Sans rushes in, looking flustered and half asleep. One of his hands are raised, as if waiting for an excuse to summon a bone attack. He takes a second, blinking when he spots Mettaton, who looks offended, and then you, covers up to your chin in order to protect your modesty. “Why is Mettaton is Papyrus’ room?!” You demand to know.   
  
“your guess is good as mine.” Sans tells you, voice cracking with restrained laughter. “pal, you okay? looking a little rattled there.”   
  
“I woke up and he was right in my face!” You hiss as Sans snerks.    
  
“I was merely waking him up!” Mettaton says, poking at his forehead. “Honestly, such violence!”   
  
“violence?” The shorter skeleton gives you a questioning look.   
  
“The brute headbutted me.” Mettaton pouts.    
  
Sans lets out a big, hearty chuckle at that. “bones, you gotta stop that or it’s gonna become a habit.”   
  
“Listen, if certain monsters would just stop sneaking into my room while I am sleeping,” You argue, giving Sans a long, pointed look. “Then this wouldn’t be a problem.”   
  
“why are you even here?” Sans directs his attention to the robot.   
  
“Well, I did explain this to your brother…” Mettaton tucks a strand of strategically placed hair away from his eye, “But I suppose I can explain myself again. Alphys and I wish to investigate that cavern we discovered. I know, I know…” He waves off Sans’ protest before he can voice it. “Your dear father is not finished with the translation. Still, we might have missed something in our haste to leave the other day.”   
  
“where’s alph then?”   
  
“She’s already there with her paramour.” He responds, “I volunteered to rouse the sleeping skeletons.”   
  
“...fine.” Sans sighs. “i’ll go check on g. pretty sure he doesn’t sleep, he turned his room into a freakin’ lab while i wasn’t looking…”   
  
“While you do that, I can escort Bones to the shrine.” Mettaton offers. You frantically shake your head and give Sans your best pleading expression.    
  
So, of course, he smirks and says, “yeah, sure. sounds like a plan. see ya there.”    
  
Sans leaves. Mettaton turns to you with an expectant look on his face. “Well? What are you waiting for? Get dressed and we can head out.”   
  
“Get out of my room!” You demand. “I’m not doing that with you here!”   
  
“Darling, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.” The star assures you with a twinkle in his eyes.   
  
“OUT!”   
  
“Oh my, such a prude!” The robot teases, but he saunters out of the door anyway.   
  
Finally alone, you slump back against the headboard and put your face in your hands. What in the world was that all about?! What you heard… was that a dream or was that damn robot really intending to give you a kiss?! You let out a muffled groan, hating the way your cheeks are lighting up.     
  
You aren’t attracted to Mettaton in that way, but you feel flustered anyway. Who doesn’t like knowing they’re attractive to others?   
  
“Be a dear and hurry up, won’t you?” Mettaton calls through the door. Lightly slapping your cheeks, you sigh and slide out of bed.    
  
You try to take your time, but Mettaton keeps knocking on the door and threatening to disturb your sanctuary. So instead you pull your pants on and shove your sweater over your head, grumbling and cranky at this unwanted wake up call. Grabbing your phone you can’t help but glare at it- it’s seven in the morning.    
  
“How are you even awake?!” You shout through the door.   
  
“I don’t sleep, of course.” Mettaton happily replies, “All I have to do is plug myself into an outlet every night- that’s also when I catch up on current events and gossip!”   
  
Of course. You wrap your scarf around your neck (carefully mimicking the steps Sans showed you the other day) and fling the door open. You glare up at the waiting robot, who merely smiles and hands you a coffee mug.   
  
“I was told you take this in the mornings?” He pointedly asks. Fuming, you down the drink. The medicine Sans added is barely an aftertaste anymore. You wonder if that means you won’t be needing it at all soon.   
  
Once that’s done you brush past the robot and head downstairs. He chuckles and follows behind you. You head into the kitchen while he hovers at the doorway. There you spot Papyrus and Frisk.   
  
“GOOD MORNING BONES.” Papyrus greets you, taking the mug out of your hands.    
  
“‘morning.” Frisk mutters into their cereal bowl.    
  
“Where have you been?” You ask the kid, who gives you a sleepy glare.    
  
“School. Also I had a science project to do with Sweetpea and Monster Kid.” They mutter, wrinkling their nose. “Why do we have to study science when there’s magic?”   
  
“DO YOU STUDY SCIENCE ON THE SURFACE WHEN THERE’S MAGIC UP THERE TOO?” Papyrus sternly asks.   
  
“Well, yeah, but-”   
  
“IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND BOTH.” Papyrus turns towards to the sink and begins scrubbing at the dishes there. “I DO NOT UNDERSTAND MUCH ABOUT IT… JUST ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO USE AN ATTACK, OR HOW TO BUILD A COMPLEX, MIND BENDING PUZZLE. BUT! REST ASSURED, IT IS IMPORTANT!”   
  
“Impact was fond of telling me that magic is just something science hasn’t explained yet.” You shrug, “That, if it’s studied enough, you’d be able to find out the hows and the whys and that’s when you can’t call it magic anymore.”   
  
“I DO BELIEVE DR. GASTER AND SANS HAVE SIMILAR OPINIONS ON THE MATTER.” Papyrus says, “THOUGH DON’T TELL THEM THAT. THEY ARE VERY NOT FOND OF YOUR FALLEN UNCLE.”   
  
“Why are you up so early anyway?” Frisk asks.   
  
“Mettaton.” You growl. “He wants to explore this cavern we found the other day. It had a weird statue in the middle of it.”   
  
“We’re off school until a bit after Gyftmas.” The child mentions. “Think I can tag along this time?”   
  
“And miss the chance to be alone with Mettaton? Of course you can!”    
  
“NYEHEH.” Papyrus chuckles, looking vaguely guilty.   
  
“Why did you even let him in there anyway?” You cross your arms, “That wasn’t very nice of you, Papyrus.”   
  
“THE TWO OF YOU NEED TO MAKE AMENDS.” Papyrus says, “I AM FAIRLY SURE METTATON WANTS YOU TO BE NOT SO ANGRY AT HIM-”   
  
“He blew up my face!”   
  
“ACCIDENTALLY.” Papyrus reminds you, “AND HOW MANY TIMES HAS HE APOLOGIZED FOR IT?”   
  
“...A lot.” You quietly mumble.   
  
“YES. HE DID.” Awkwardly shrugging, he turns towards you and places his hands on your shoulders. “IN AN ODD WAY, BONES, I AM GLAD THAT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU DID. NOT BECAUSE YOU WERE HURT, BUT BECAUSE WE BECAME CLOSER TO YOU AND WERE ABLE TO HELP YOU RECOVER. BOTH YOUR PHYSICAL INJURIES, AND HERE…” He taps your sternum. “IS IT BAD THAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT?”   
  
“I, uh, guess not.” You look away, and you’re pretty sure you’re pouting. Of course Papyrus had to shine a good light on Mettaton’s actions and make you rethink your attitude towards him. Stupid Papyrus. You growl in frustration when he tugs you into a hug.   
  
“I HAVE ANOTHER CONFESSION.” Papyrus’ voice takes on a mischievous tint.   
  
“Oh?”   
  
“WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT I BELIEVE FORGIVENESS NEEDS TO BE GIVEN AND FRIENDSHIPS NEED TO BE FORGED…” He trails off, suppressing another giggle, “I ALSO WANTED BRAGGING RIGHTS. WHO ELSE CAN BOAST THAT METTATON SPENT THE MORNING IN THEIR BEDROOM?”   
  
“Let go of me. Immediately.” You say. He gives you another tight squeeze instead.   
  
Mettaton is tapping his foot and looking at the nonexistent watch on his wrist by the time you and Frisk join him at the door. He gives you an exaggerated annoyed look before stooping down to embrace the human child.   
  
“And how are you doing, my dear?” He coos, “I absolutely ADORE your hair! A classic style, isn’t it?”   
  
“It’s a braid. Bones did it!” They brightly reply.   
  
Mettaton gives you a look and winks. “A skeleton of many talents, isn’t he?” Laughing, Frisk nods their agreement and tugs open the door.   
  
You and Mettaton take a more leisurely walk as Frisk rushes forward, already knowing they’d be taking the boat. When you’re fairly sure they can’t hear your conversation, you quietly ask, “You, uh, weren’t actually gonna kiss me, were you?”   
  
“W-what?!” Mettaton sputters, nearly tripping over his feet. Rolling your eye sockets, you grab his arm. “I… I was only teasing!” Sighing, he adds, “I figured you wouldn’t have heard me anyway. You sleep like a log.”   
  
“Excuse me?” You reply, “I heard you just fine!”   
  
“Well, that’s obvious now.” He huffs back, then flinches when he spots something out of the corner of his eye. Without a word the robot ducks behind a tree.   
  
Raising a brow, you turn towards where he was looking and spot a ghost. Wait… You squint as he passes by, headphones blazing music into what passes for his ears. Isn’t that Undyne’s neighbor? Lost in his own little world, he doesn’t even notice as you stare after him before turning back towards Mettaton.   
  
“What was that about?” You ask when he reveals himself again. The ghost is now out of sight.   
  
“...” Mettaton looks reluctant to talk.    
  
“Eh, fine.” You shrug. It’s none of your business anyway. If the tincan doesn’t want to talk, that’s just fine with you. You begin walking again. Mettaton lets out a surprised noise and rushes to meet your pace.   
  
“You were supposed to press for more details.” Boy, does he like to pout a lot.   
  
“This isn’t one of your shows.” You reply, “If you don’t want to tell me, I’m not going to fawn over you until you trust me enough or whatever to divulge your innermost thoughts and secrets.”   
  
“Ugh, fine!” Mettaton sneers, “If you must know-” You didn’t. “That was my cousin. We are estranged. Kind of.”   
  
“Estranged?” You raise a brow at that. “And by estranged, does that mean what you did to Alphys, you did to him?” Undyne did say it was a habit of his, to use his friends and ignore them if they have nothing else to offer. He did it to Alphys, right? It wouldn’t surprise you if he did it to his family too.   
  
“That is what Undyne told you, right?” He despondently asks. “Ah, well. Can’t say I blame her. She is very protective of Alphys, isn’t she?”   
  
“Uhh…” You neither confirm nor deny this.   
  
“No need to tell me anything, darling.” He assures you, “But, if you don’t mind, I’d like to share my side of this sad little tale.”   
  
“I’m listening.” You reluctantly say.    
  
“Soon after Alphys earned her position as royal scientist…” Mettaton looks up at the ‘sky’. “She was assigned to research the human SOULs and attempt to create an artificial one. The king, in order to assist her, would send monsters in the process of falling down to the lab. And, well… you know what happened after that.”   
  
“Yeah.” You nod, thinking of Snowdrake’s mom. Last you saw her, she was taking a walk with her son. They seemed happy.   
  
“Alphys has a bad habit of… pushing others away. When she falls into one of her episodes.” He swallows, “But in the beginning, I was trying to help her. I helped feed the dogs, dispense medications, amongst other things. But, in the end, when she couldn’t find a way to reverse what she has done… she pushed me aside.”   
  
“She cut you off first?” You ask, surprised.    
  
“Oh, yes. She did.” He laughs, an empty and hollow sound. “Long gone were our weekly datenights. She would not answer her phone, or respond to my texts. The only thing she ever responded to were my… demands to improve upon this body.” He pats his metallic chest. “It was the only way I was able to meet with her and make sure she was okay.”   
  
“Aw, man.” You mumble, feeling guilty.    
  
“Of course, that looks rather selfish on my part, doesn’t it?” Mettaton tsks, “But I did not, and still don’t, care about any of that. So what if others think I only use her for upgrades? And it seems, now that her darkest secret is out, I will be able to repair our friendship. I… I think she doesn’t realize that the both of us did damage. I hope one day, she’ll believe that I really am her friend.”   
  
“Damn.” You whistle. “I didn’t really bother to think-”   
  
“That there are two sides to every story?” He chuckles, “Of course not. It’s easier that way, is it not?”   
  
“Okay, now you’re just making a dig at me.”   
  
“My apologies.”    
  
“...Please stop apologizing.” You frown.    
  
“I never told Blookie that I was leaving the family snail farm to pursue my dreams.” Mettaton tells you, expression serious and contemplative. “I left him all alone to be selfish. For that, I have no excuse. And I do not have the nerve to approach him.”   
  
“Does he know you’re… well… Mettaton?” You slowly ask. Recalling the small pink ghost that you encountered those months ago, and the tall metallic figure walking by your side today, you wouldn’t be able to connect the two.   
  
“He may be the only one who can.” He laughs, “Ghosts are quite skilled that way. Most of us take to possessing items in order to interact with the physical world. We’re able to recognize another ghost’s SOUL regardless of what they physically look like.”   
  
“...Hmm.” You thoughtfully hum as you finally approach the river person’s boat. Frisk is already there, mindlessly chatting to the aloof guide. “Maybe you should talk to him.”   
  
“Yes.” He readily agrees, “There was never a question about that.”   
  
“You two done bonding?” Frisk loudly complains, “Let’s get going!”   
  
“Oh, I am terribly sorry to keep you waiting!” Mettaton says, his tone returning to the loud, snooty voice you’re more accustomed to hearing on the television. “Now, let’s get this show on the road!”  


	45. A Double Edged Sword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been raining like crazy lately. Ah, the joys of summer.

“so what do you think, g?” Sans asks, watching closely as Gaster looks up at the large statue. The older skeleton’s face would be unreadable to anyone else but Sans, but his ‘son’ has the irritating ability to decipher every subtle movement the doctor makes. Thus, the slight twinge of his phalanges (he barely stops himself from curling them into fists), the twitch of one eye socket, and the slightly frownier version of his regular face? It is like a collection of neon signs to the shorter skeleton, all spelling out that ‘something is not right’.   
  
Papyrus fiddles with his own digits, looking up to give the doctor a worried look. Gaster tries his best not to shrink back from him. He has forgotten that Sans’ younger brother is quite adept at reading him too.    
  
“She looks familiar.” Gaster finally rasps, folding his arms in front of his sternum.    
  
“So was she one of the sorcerers?!” Undyne shouts, making the doctor flinch. He finds the captain of the royal guard to be loud, irritating, and tactless. But she might be necessary should they need brute force. That is, if the blaster Sans never bothered to unsummon is unable to help.    
  
The BOSS monster should be disappointed. It took quite a while to train those blasters to be the capable fighters they are, and now what does he see? A spoiled pet, gnawing on the conjured bone Papyrus gave to it. And yet… he can’t help but feel softness to the thing.   
  
Gaster, sadly, always had a weakness for cute things.    
  
Sans starts to loudly slurp from a ketchup bottle. Gaster’s eye socket twitches again.   
  
“Perhaps.” He tells the fish monster. “The staff she wields certainly implies it.”   
  
Undyne lets out a low whistle, obviously impressed. With what, Gaster does not know. It’s not like the tall, imposing figure is the actual woman. No, of course not. This sorceress, the one whose face is now carved from stone, was a pale, weak little thing when she crossed his path. She was certainly no threat to the monsters at the time.   
  
Gaster should have slayed her the first time they met. A regrettable act of mercy on his part.   
  
“Darlings!” A familiar, robotic voice calls out. The ex royal scientist shakes his thoughts away and turns to watch Mettaton strut into the building, followed by you and the human child.    
  
“what took ya so long?” Sans teases, looking smug with himself.   
  
“Y’know, you could’ve just teleported us too.” You groan, meandering your way over to Papyrus. He wraps a long arm around your shoulders, stifling a giggle at the weary look on your face. “You just like seeing me suffer.”   
  
“me? never.”   
  
“H-he only got here a f-few minutes ago.” Alphys interrupted, looking up from her phone. “W-we were waiting on you, p-promise!”   
  
Frisk wanders over to stand next to Gaster. Their little face looks up at the statue with wonder. “Why would a statue of a human be underground?”   
  
“There are several possibilities.” Gaster instantly replies. “The one that we are leaning heavily on is that humans once lived in this mountain. They certainly have a big enough ego to construct such an eyesore-”   
  
“HUMAN!” Undyne bellows, rudely interrupting. She points an accusing finger at Frisk. “How come you never told me you can get that big?!”   
  
Frisk smiles and opens their mouth, no doubt to say something stupid. You give them a small glare. Sighing, they mutter, “You never let me have any fun.” They turn to Undyne. “That’s because we don’t. A lot of statues are made to be very large because they’re important in some way.”   
  
“Like a memorial.” You muse, giving the statue’s face a wary look.   
  
“Well, that’s disappointing.” Undyne sadly comments. “It would have made A LOT more sense if we battled humans that size all those years ago and lost instead of, well… weenies like you. No offense.”   
  
“None taken.” Frisk dryly answers.   
  
“A creature’s physical size has no reflection on the strength of their SOUL.” Gaster comments. Undyne scoffs and gives him a dirty look.   
  
“S-sweetie, he is right.” Alphys chuckles and beckons her girlfriend over. Grumbling, the captain sidles up next to the yellow reptile. “N-now that we’re all h-here… Well…” She gives Gaster an uncertain glance.   
  
“I have managed to ‘crack the code’, so to speak.” He replies. Reaching into his coat, he pulls out a single sheet of paper and hands  it to Alphys. “Not much is noteworthy. This only describes the events that took place after the author of this scroll became separated from her group. I must admit, I have many more theories about the nature of this place, and who exactly created this building. However, I wish to find more proof before I dare speak them out loud.”   
  
“I- I can understand that!” The royal scientist scans over the page. “S-sounds like there was a big c-cave in t-that cut her o-off from the m-main area?”   
  
“so there is more to this place? another cavern that connects to this one?” Sans asks.   
  
“Something like that.” Gaster sardonically answers before turning to Mettaton, who is busy admiring his fingernails. “Robot.” He orders. Mettaton perks up at the attention, but scowls at the older skeleton’s choice of words. “Direct me to where you found the scroll.”   
  
“...Of course.” He grudgingly answers.   
  
Mettaton leads the group out of the building and around the walls, towards the back end. There, you can see the rubble made up of heavy stones and wooden beams that must’ve collapsed years ago. Maybe even a whole millenia, you think.    
  
“There must’ve been an extra structure here.” You murmur to nobody in particular. “Probably wasn’t built very well.”   
  
“In the beginning,” Gaster says, “The mountain was prone to collapsing around us. Every time we attempted to dig further, to construct areas that would make it easier for us to live in this wretched place, a rockslide would occur. Or we would return to continue our work and find that the entire area flooded. The ones that were more superstitious assumed that this entire mountain was cursed. It wouldn’t surprise me that the occupants here had a difficult time building as well.”   
  
“Really?” You shake your head. “Talk about kicking your opponent while they’re on the ground.”    
  
“I wouldn’t put it past the humans to do such a thing.” The older skeleton shrugs. “Though I wonder…” Eye sockets narrowing, he summons four disembodied hands. You watch, fascinated, as they move towards the rubble.   
  
“I- I wonder if you’ll find m-more scrolls!” Alphys exclaims, eyes wide.   
  
Gaster says nothing as his disembodied hands search through the rubble by the wall. His face reveals nothing but weariness. And then, amongst the rubble, you finally see it. A single, skeletal arm. But its bones… they are too thin. Much too thin to be a skeleton monster’s. It’s as if a single touch would crumble them to dust. And the color… it’s not the bright ivory that you or Sans or Papyrus sport. It’s a dull, dead color that makes you shudder. Nevertheless, Gaster reaches towards the hand, expression now turning alarmed. He thinks it’s a monster trapped under there!   
  
“No!” You quickly grab his wrist. “I don’t think you want to touch that.”    
  
“We have to-!” He turns towards you, no doubt surprised at your reaction.   
  
“It’s not what you think it is.” You reply. “That… that’s a human skeleton.”   
  
“DO NOT BE SILLY, BONES.” Papyrus admonishes, crowding just behind you. “HUMANS ARE NOT SKELETONS.”   
  
“Bones is right.” Frisk argues, scowling when Sans stops them from getting a closer look. “Humans have skeletons inside of ‘em. Most non-monsters do, actually. Our bones are like a… a base that holds our shape.”   
  
“Then what’s with the squishy stuff you guys have?” Undyne asks.   
  
“We also have muscles that help us move.” The human tries to explain, “And our skin and hair covers all that stuff to protect everything.”   
  
“Stars, you humans are gross.” Undyne looks repulsed and delighted all at once.   
  
“When humans die, their forms don’t turn to dust.” You say, slowly letting Gaster’s wrist go. He blinks and lets his arm fall to his side. “But you know that, right doc? They just… stay there. And rot. And eventually… only the skeleton remains.”   
  
“I have never had the chance to observe that.” He murmurs. “Either we buried their dead or cast them into fire, depending on their last wishes.”   
  
“Even the skeletons don’t last forever.” Frisk continues, “It takes a lot longer, but even humans turn to dust in the end.”   
  
Gaster frowns, and then his hands begin digging around the arm. Slowly, carefully, he clears more and more of the dirt and rubble until you can see the skull. You wince. It has a large crack running down the top of it. The sockets are hollow- you can see the inside of the back of their skull like that. Something that’s impossible to do with a skeleton monster. Its other arm is cradling its ribcage. Several of those ribs, you note, are broken. Snapped. Like they broke under pressure. Whatever they wore in life is little more than dirty rags. At their feet, broken in several pieces, is a staff.   
  
“This only confirms what I have speculated.” Gaster sighs, “The humans not only trapped us down here, but they also imprisoned their own sorcerers.”   
  
“What?!” Undyne shouts, looking enraged, “Why the HELL would they do that?!”   
  
“Humans let their fear rule them.” A familiar voice softly comments. “They could not even trust their own people.”   
  
Turning around, you can’t help but gasp. There stands Asgore. Not wearing the armor you usually see him in, but a comfortable looking sweater and a pair of slacks. Damn, why does he STILL look attractive like that?! He shifts awkwardly, clearing his throat and looking away as you continue to stare. “Uhh… Howdy?” He greets the group.   
  
“H-HEY your majesty!” Undyne stutters out a greeting. “What’re you doing all the way out here?!”   
  
“To… check on how things are going?” He asks, eyes roaming from monster to monster, until finally, they settle on Frisk.   
  
Shit. You don’t know what to do. Do you grab the kid and run? Stand your ground and argue? A helpless, strangled sound rises in your throat and you try to squash it down. Everyone else seems to be on the same page as you are- frozen in shock, surprise, guilt, and fear littering their faces.   
  
After what seems like forever, looking quite uncomfortable, the king finally asks “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”   
  
“On break for Gyftmas.” Frisk chokes out.   
  
“Ah.” Asgore replies. “I trust you are enjoying your holiday?”   
  
Frisk croaks out a yes.   
  
“That is good.” He rumbles before turning towards Gaster. A small smile graces his muzzle. “Old friend, I haven’t seen you in a while!”   
  
“My apologies, your majesty.” Gaster replies, shaking himself out of his stupor. “I have found myself quite busy as of late.”   
  
“No need for apologies.” Asgore beams, stepping forward. You cringe, watching as the large figure passes Frisk and stops to stand by you and the ex royal scientist. “I know how you can get when a new project comes up.”   
  
“Your understanding is greatly appreciated.” The old skeleton comments, “As you can see, we discovered something quite interesting.”   
  
“I can see that.” The king looks upon the skeleton, eyes wide and sad. “Tragic, is it not? That they worked to create this prison, only to perish within it alongside the very creatures they despised.”   
  
“I would call it justice.”    
  
“but there were seven sorcerers, right?” Sans interrupts, sounding just as casual as Asgore and Gaster. Though, you do note that he has a good grip on Frisk’s arm. That’s good. If anything happens he can get the both of them out of here. “we only have one here.”   
  
“T-the o-others must be i-in the main ch-chamber!” Alphys chokes out, looking like she’s about to pass out. Beside her, it appears that Undyne is vibrating in place. Papyrus is hovering by Sans and Frisk, looking about ready to pick the both of them up and make a run for it. And Mettaton… is nowhere to be seen? Your eyes dart around the area, finally settling farther away, towards the front of the building. Mettaton is watching in a shadowed corner, arms crossed and expression neutral. You can’t help but scoff. Does the robot think he looks cool and mysterious posing like that? As if.   
  
“WE SHOULD PROBABLY CHECK ON THEM.” Papyrus nervously suggests, “PERHAPS THEY ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE?”   
  
“They would be just as deceased as this one.” Gaster dismisses the other skeleton’s concern.   
  
“YOU CANNOT KNOW THAT FOR SURE.” He insists.   
  
“any way you look at it, g.” Sans comments, “it’s a good idea to at least find out what happened to ‘em.”   
  
“Oh, fine.” Gaster glances up at Asgore. “I assume you would like to observe?”   
  
“If it’s not too much trouble.” The king nods.   
  
“HOLD ON A SECOND!” Undyne bursts out, making everyone in her vicinity flinch. “ARE WE… REALLY NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS?!”   
  
“UNDYNE.” Papyrus cries out, “PLEASE DO NOT BRING THE ELEPHANT INTO THIS ROOM.” Stars, he still doesn’t know how that colloquialism works. The elephant is already in the room!   
  
“NO! We can’t just-” Undyne makes a frustrated sound and turns towards the king. “Your majesty, are you REALLY not going to comment on the human?!”   
  
The king of monsters thoughtfully hums in response. Shifting in place, his gentle eyes roam from monster to monster, until they finally settle on you. Then he gives you a mischievous wink. You sincerely hope Alphys didn’t catch you practically swooning in response.   
  
“Human?” Asgore serenely replies. “What human?”   
  
“WOWIE. WHAT A RELIEF TO KNOW THAT THE KING DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HUMANS LOOK LIKE- OW! SANS! DOCTOR, SANS HIT ME!”   
  
“Sans, don’t hit your brother.” Gaster sighs, rubbing his temples.   
  
“‘kay.”   
  
“O-okay.” Alphys stutters, a relieved giggle escaping her throat as Papyrus sputters in outrage, “I- I get it! Um, s-so how about we f-find t-the entrance to the, um, main area?”   
  
“You’re the only monster here that makes a lick of sense.” Gaster compliments, which makes the royal scientist almost fall over in surprise. “My calculations tell me that there is a high probability that this ‘main cavern’ is along the western wall. Does your robot have the sonar needed to confirm this?”   
  
“I am not HER robot!” Mettaton shouts from across the cave.    
  
“D-doctor, please.” Alphys gives the older skeleton a timid glance. Gaster just crosses his arms and smirks. “M-mettaton, c-can you just… f-for me?”   
  
“Hmmph.” The star of the underground sighs, “Only because it’s you, darling.”   
  
Everyone watches as the robot presses his ear against the wall. Then he knocks on said wall. Frowning, he moves to another section, only to repeat his actions. Slowly, you sidle up to Alphys and whisper, “Is he being serious right now?”   
  
“Um, y-yeah?” She whispers back. At the amused look on your face, she defensively adds, “H-hey! D-don’t make fun! O-or do you want me to s-stop pretending I didn’t see you a-almost faint because the king winked at you?”   
  
“You’re so cruel to me, Alphys.” You snicker, barely able to stop yourself from squealing like a schoolgirl. Because, yes, he did wink at you, didn’t he?    
  
“Here!” Mettaton finally calls out.    
  
”Alright.” Gaster points at the said section of wall and jerks his head towards the patiently hovering blaster. “Buttercup-”   
  
“cinnamon bun.” Sans reluctantly corrects.   
  
“Whatever.” He snaps, “Beam to half strength. And be careful about it!”   
  
The blaster briefly glances at Gaster before turning to Sans.    
  
“heh. looks like i’m the favorite.” Sans comments.   
  
“Sans.” Gaster growls.   
  
“whelp, you heard the old man, pal. let’s get crackin’.”   
  
It takes a lot longer than last time. Gaster is insistent that Cinnamon Bun be very careful, mainly because he didn’t want anything accidentally getting destroyed. You guess he must be right to be so cautious- whatever’s on the other side, it has to be big. History dating back to the last millennia is right there, at your fingertips. It’s dizzying to even think about.   
  
Sure. you had the textbooks and documentaries that detailed what happened up on the surface. But an afternoon spent at Snowdin’s library quickly dispelled a lot of the official stuff that grade school kids are taught. Like the royal family being executed, for one.    
  
And don’t forget, you think to yourself, the entire cause of the war in the first place. The humans were scared of a monster’s ability to absorb their SOULs. That particular detail has been completely forgotten by modern society as well.    
  
You steal a glance at Asgore, who is patiently standing by Gaster’s side. It may be a good idea to mention that this little ability monsters have… should probably be kept a secret for as long as possible. It wouldn’t surprise you that the peace everyone has fought so hard for can collapse very easily if word gets out.   
  
“I thought I was about to die.” Frisk mutters, making you jump in surprise.   
  
“W-what?” You stutter, looking down at them.   
  
“I think everyone else did too.” They say, leaning against your side. You wrap an arm around their shoulders. “I was pretty sure Asgore would have just captured me on the spot. There were some runs where he did just that. What changed?”   
  
“He, uh, told me…” You chuckle when Frisk looks up at you in surprise, “That, well… He wouldn’t chase after you. As long as you stayed away from the palace and New Home. Guess he’s just keeping his promise.”   
  
“y’know, you could’ve told us that like weeks ago.” Sans suddenly appears by your side, looking flustered, “i just about had a heart attack-”   
  
“We don’t have hearts.” You absentmindedly reply.   
  
“yeah, and i don’t have any skin now either, since i about jumped out of mine.”   
  
“Sorry.” You give Sans a small smile, waiting until he slouches and shakes his head.   
  
“i’m not fond of these surprises you keep springin’ on me.” He mutters.   
  
The conversation stops when the blaster snaps its jaws together, cutting off its beam. Undyne whoops and dives into the rubble, grabbing large rocks and chucking them over her shoulders to clear the way. Papyrus joins in on this and together, the two of them make quick work of it.   
  
You keep a careful eye on the proceedings, suddenly remembering why Sans wanted you to tag along in the first place.  _ Be ready, just in case something tries to collapse on us,  _ You tell yourself.    
  
Of course, disaster only happens when one isn’t prepared. In the end you grab a few rocks and chuck them out of the tunnel in an effort to also contribute. Judging by Sans’ approving stare, your gravity magic is behaving properly. It damn well better be, considering he spent a long time coaching you.   
  
Everyone works in silence until finally, everything is clear enough to walk through. And walk everyone did, breaths being held in anticipation for what’s on the other side.    
  
It’s dark, you note. Mettaton tsks and suddenly you’re blinded by the glaring light of an electrical lantern. Blinking, you turn away from it, only to take in the sight of a large cottage standing in the middle of a clearing. Besides it is what looks like a greenhouse, overgrown with unkempt plants. Various fruit trees littered the landscape, the leaves dull and dry, but not dead. Probably because it’s still winter, you think. They’re just hibernating. All in all, the entire chamber is about the size of a small park.    
  
“I guess the humans thought it’d be okay to give their sorcerers a good supply of seeds.” You observe, “That greenhouse probably gave them all sorts of food…”   
  
“And we were digging for scraps at the freakin’ DUMP.” Undyne growls, “Stars know how we got lucky enough to keep everyone fed!”   
  
Frisk’s hand clutches at yours. You let them take it and they give your phalanges a tight squeeze. Then, on your right side, Sans does the same thing. You look over at him, concerned.   
  
“look up.” He whispers.   
  
And when you do your breath is taken away. A blanket of stars beam down at you from the cloudless night sky. Your eye sockets then draw towards one of the brighter specks of light, suddenly remembering that that one is actually a planet. Was it Venus or Mars, you wonder. Impact would have been able to tell you. You suddenly want to cry. “Is it night already?” You find yourself wondering out loud.   
  
“O-oh my.” Alphys sighs, looking up as well.   
  
“Indeed.” Mettaton agrees.   
  
“It is just as beautiful as I remember.” Asgore sadly comments.   
  
“Lucky bastards.” Undyne hisses.   
  
“THEY STILL HAD THE SKY.” Papyrus squints up, eye sockets darting from one area to the other in a way that makes you think he’s trying to memorize it all.   
  
Besides you, you can’t help but notice that Sans is doing the same thing.


	46. The Night Before Gyftmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here, have some fluff.

Behind the cottage, and out of sight, there were five unmarked graves and one skeletal body lying across them. It was as if the last one to go didn’t want to die all alone in that cottage. Can’t blame them, even if the sight left tears in your eye sockets.    
  
On a brighter note, Gaster about had a field day when he found a room full of ancient books, and not quite subtly declared ownership of everything there. Undyne and Alphys left soon after that, followed by Mettaton. Asgore gave you another heartbreaking smile and even went as far as to ruffle Frisk’s hair before he too left. And after that, well… It took quite a while for you and Papyrus to convince Sans to come home.   
  
You can feel your SOUL breaking apart, collapsing under the guilty weight of your conscience. Because you did this, didn’t you? Asking Frisk to delay their plans for the holidays, giving the others enough time to find this secret, hidden place that housed the very beings that trapped them. Instead of seeing the sky for the first time on the outside, they had to see it through a magical barrier. It’s all your fault.   
  
And that’s why you’re here, on the night before Gyftmas, standing at the center of town. You just can’t bring yourself to sleep. The tree, decorated with secondhand lights and handmade trinkets, twinkles merrily at you. You can smell Grillby’s bar, as faint as it is, lingering in the air despite the fact he closed hours ago. In the background someone rigged up an old stereo and it is blasting some old, cheery tunes into the night.    
  
Sighing, you sit down on the bench in front of the tree. You close your eyes and you see those graves, imprinted on the back of your sockets. Cursing, you open them again.    
  
“You are out quite late.” An achingly familiar voice reaches your ear canals, and you turn to see Asgore. You can’t help but let out a watery giggle. The king of the mountain is in a Santa costume, a large sack resting on one broad shoulder. Of course he is. Undyne was right- the king really is a big softy. He self consciously chuckles along with you, then hesitantly drops the sack to the ground.   
  
“Couldn’t sleep.” You breathe into the quiet air. He grunts in acknowledgement before opening the crimson fabric and pulling out several large, wrapped gifts.   
  
“We have come across a great burden.” Asgore nods. “I have yet to discuss what to do with our discovery with Dr. Alphys and Gaster. I feel that we all must come to an agreement together.”   
  
“When the other monsters realize they can see the sky from over there…” You mumble. “I mean, the shrine we first found had a small glimpse too, but  _ this… _ it’s incredible.”   
  
“It is a blessing and a curse.” The king sighs, “But, in the end, I find it very difficult to even contemplate about hiding this from my people.”   
  
“We shouldn’t.” You agree, “But I don’t think anyone should be able to move in. It should be… public. For everyone to come visit.”   
  
“Once our dear friend Wingdings finishes claiming his books, and perhaps if we fix the graves…” Asgore muses, “It will be a place of remembrance.”   
  
“Wingdings?” You question, eye sockets growing wide, “Wait, Gaster isn’t his first name?!”   
  
“Golly…” Asgore chuckles, scratching the back of his head, “Uh, don’t tell him I told you that.” That said, he begins placing more presents under the tree.   
  
“That had to be a family name.” You chuckle. “So, do you normally do this every year?”   
  
“If you mean, do I normally dress up as Santa and deliver presents to the underground, then yes.” There is no shame when he says this- only happiness shines in his eyes. “I mainly do it for the children. It helps, to have them believe in something good.”     
  
You watch as he goes about his business. His movements are smooth, practiced, and gentle as he sets each wrapped gift under the tree. A glimpse of the tags that are attached shows that each one is assigned to a family- Mopsy and Sweetpea have one, the Slimes have another, and you even see one addressed to Sans, Papyrus, Gaster, Frisk, and yourself. It’s startling, even if shouldn’t be, to see more proof that you’re accepted here. That you belong somewhere.   
  
“My apologies.” Asgore’s voice once again cuts through the silence, “You have not been mentioned on our census… ever. So I have not been able to address any gifts to you.”   
  
“It’s okay.” You mumble, shifting on the bench uncomfortably.   
  
“There are monsters that, for whatever reason, wish to remain away from the rest of the underground.” The king seems saddened by this. “Of course, everyone has their preferences, but it is very difficult to be one’s only company when space is so limited. But they make do, mostly by staying in the ruins.”   
  
“...Yeah?” You ask, thinking of Toriel. Does she even have anybody she can talk do over there? The few monsters you’ve seen, in the beginning, weren’t much for conversation.   
  
“Indeed.” Asgore’s bag is finally emptied and he stands up from his stooped position. His size should make you feel nervous, but instead you feel nothing but calm. Never have you seen the king in a fit of anger, though he has admitted to doing so in the past. Perhaps, over the years, he learned how to radiate this aura of passiveness. “It is very rare, to have a monster emerge from the ruins. To have them join new families, and settle into new, better lives.” He sheepishly runs a paw through his golden hair. “I am… glad. That you decided to come to Snowdin.”   
  
“Ahh…” You don’t know what to say to that. Instead, you embarrassingly pull your knees up and hide your face in your hands.    
  
“It gives me hope.” The king continues, chuckling at your reaction, “That, maybe, one day, another monster may return home.”   
  
He’s still waiting for Toriel. Damn that monster for being so loyal. It’s been how many centuries since they separated? You’d think he’d move on by now!   
  
… But that’s not in his character, is it? And, Toriel… of course it must be tough for her. She must’ve loved him too, once upon a time. Does she still now? You’re not sure. But you do know she would do anything to protect another being, even if it is from her own husband. You can understand that, even if you wish-   
  
You hate seeing that sadness in another monster’s eyes.    
  
“Hope is nice.” You helplessly say.   
  
“Try and get some rest, Bones.” He exhales heavily, looking around the area. “In a few hours, it will be quite a busy day.”   
  
When Asgore leaves, so do you. Meandering your way back to the house, you’re almost surprised to see Sans leaning next to the mailbox, staring blankly upwards. You edge towards him, right until your body brushes against his, and then he speaks, “ya’know, before today, i thought i had an idea of what it would look like, to see the stars. but now that i saw ‘em, in reality instead of all those books, they just… don’t compare.”   
  
“You went back there, didn’t you?” You accuse, not at all angrily. It’s not like you can blame him for liking the view.    
  
“for a little bit. g wanted to see the cottage again, look for more books. didn’t find any.” He sighs. “he was under the impression that maybe these sorcerers would have an idea on how to get through the barrier without any SOULs.”   
  
“But there isn’t?” You’re not going to lie, for a second you thought the same thing. But, after thinking about it? If they did somehow figure something like that out, who’s to say they would write it down? Or that there’d be any proof that they were ever there? Surely they’d hide all evidence of their existence, just in case someone else finds their hidden prison cell...   
  
“it was a nice thought.” Sans softly chuckles. “g’s never gonna admit it, and i’ve certainly never thought he’d be capable of it, but… he wanted to find another way for frisk. he likes the kid.”   
  
“...How did Frisk get everyone out the first time?” You shift in surprise when Sans suddenly leans against you. “They never told me.”   
  
“dunno. g knows a bit, but he ain’t tellin’ either.” He yawns. “whatever it is that happened? must’ve been real risky.”   
  
A sudden surge of protectiveness almost overcomes you. Reaching an arm across his shoulders, you pull Sans just a bit closer. He’s not complaining about it, rather, his weight is further imposed on you and his eye sockets are half closed. Like a large, content cat. And now you’re thinking. Does Frisk really need to free you all? Can’t things just… stay the way they are? What if, whatever it is that they’re planning, they end up hurt? Humans tend to be on the hardier side, sure, but they can still be fragile in so many little ways.   
  
“I’m so selfish.” You moan.   
  
“buddy, aren’t we all?” Another chuckle, then he says in a hushed voice, “frisk is gonna do what they’re gonna do. there’s no talking the kiddo out of something when they’re determined.”   
  
“But, maybe…” You trail off when Sans shakes his head.   
  
“a lifetime ago, i met up with frisk at the mtt resort.” He explains, “and we had a little chat. y’see, i was growing real fond of the kid, watching over them and all that. they were close to reachin’ asgore, and i got the idea in my skull that they might prefer just… staying with us. they had friends here, and would’ve been taken care of, y’know? but they wouldn’t hear any of it. said they had to face asgore. now, i may not remember many specifics, but having one last meal with the kiddo became something of a tradition. and every time, i would tell ‘em they were more than welcome to just hang out underground for the rest of their life. and, every time, they would politely refuse.”   
  
“Yeah, but this time it’s different!” You protest.   
  
“yeah, it really is.” The other skeleton readily agrees, “but that doesn’t mean their end goal isn’t the same. now, i have my doubts. we all do. but, hell, it’s been almost three months. they brought you down with ‘em. they rescued gaster. brought alphys and undyne together, and the amalgamates are with their families again. hell, they even let me set my bro up with grillby-”   
  
“Wait. You set them up?” You narrow your eye sockets down at him.   
  
“...i may have put the idea in grillby’s head.” Sans slowly admits. “he’s a great guy, and whenever my bro came around to pick me up, he’d get real quiet and flustered. thought it was cute.”   
  
“Stars, you’re a sap.” You laugh.   
  
“point being,” He continues, “is that there’s way more to lose this time around. odds are, frisk ain’t gonna squander ‘em.”    
  
A few minutes pass away in silence. Then Sans shifts, and your arm slips off his shoulders. Giving you a wide smile, he says “whelp, i’m bone tired. i think i’m gonna get some beauty sleep. and you should too.”   
  
He turns and disappears from sight. Rolling your eye sockets, you trudge towards the front door and let yourself in the old fashioned way. Inside the house is dark, but you know your way enough not to trip over anything as you slowly make your way-   
  
“And where have you been?” Gaster greets you from his position on the couch.   
  
“Out.” You reply, pretending that the older skeleton didn’t scare the hell out of you, “Shouldn’t you be in bed? It’s like, almost morning.”   
  
“I am old enough to be your father ten times over.” He grumpily replies, “You will cease all urges to be ‘protective’ and ‘nurturing’.”   
  
“You tossed out the bed Sans put in there didn’t you.”   
  
“I… I may have.” He hesitates. Sighing, you walk up to him and give his shoulder a firm push. He falls over into the cushions with barely a struggle.   
  
“Blankets, blankets…” You mumble, turning to the linen closet.   
  
“What did I literally say seconds ago?! Specifically about being nurturing?!” Gaster angrily shouts.   
  
“Quiet, you’ll wake everybody up.” You find one of Papyrus’ spare blankets and give it a toss. The older skeleton quietly grumbles, but eventually settles down. That done, you continue on your way up the stairs.   
  
A flash of light distracts you before you open Papyrus’ door. Looking over, you spot the source coming from underneath the bathroom door. Strange, considering Papyrus only uses it to shower in the mornings. And Sans takes baths in the evenings. ‘turning the bath into a broth’ he once told you. Papyrus couldn’t stop gagging from the description for nearly the entire day.   
  
So, if it’s not Sans, Papyrus, or Gaster, then it must be…    
  
You approach the bathroom door and give it a knock. Frisk answers with a simple, “Yes?”   
  
“You okay?”   
  
“Yeah, I’m just-” They sigh, “Come in.”   
  
Hesitating (hell, you know what humans get up to in bathrooms, and it’s really gross), you open the door. Frisk is leaning on the sink counter, arms crossed on the surface as they glare into the mirror in front of them.   
  
“So, uh…” You start, “Whatcha doing?”   
  
“I thought, after everything that’s been happening…” They close their eyes, “That maybe I’d look even a little different.”   
  
“Nah. Sorry, Frisk.” You shrug. “It’s still just you.”   
  
Frisk laughs, then sobs. They lunge at you, wrapped their arms up around your neck and you have to bend down a bit so that they can reach. You hug them back, honestly confused about this whole thing, until they manage to choke out, “I turned eleven today.”   
  
“Shit, what?” You gasp, “Why didn’t you tell anybody?!”   
  
“Well, with Gyftmas and all that.” They squirm in your grasp until you let go. “Figured it wasn’t important. But then I thought about it. I’ve been ten for… quite a while, I think. So shouldn’t being eleven feel, I don’t know, different?”   
  
“Hah. Maybe after a few months, when you hit another growth spurt.” You ruffle their mop of hear. “So, is that really why you’re up right now?”   
  
“Kinda.” They wipe at their eyes, “I  _ was  _ asleep, but then Gaster and Sans started talking in the living room. They were looking through that cottage, trying to see if there’s a way the humans thought of, to break through the barrier. They don’t want me to face Asgore.”   
  
“...I don’t want you to face him either.” You admit, and they nod in understanding. “And you still haven’t explained how this is going to turn out.”   
  
“That’s because it’s hard to explain.” Frisk tells you, “Most of what happened… it was all instinct. It was like I knew what to do, but didn’t?”   
  
“Frisk…”   
  
“Thank you.” They pipe up, shyly smiling. “For caring so much about me. But I’m fine. Really!”   
  
You try very hard not to cry as you march that damn kid back to their room. The door closes behind them and you take a shaky breath.    
  
“you two are making way too much noise.” Sans grumps, appearing out of thin air, and you yelp in surprise. He places a hand over your teeth, silencing you. “aw, did i scare you? hope i didn’t rattle you too hard, but try to keep quiet, k? gaster’s a light sleeper, and i know he’s worn out to the bone right now.”   
  
“Don’t do that!” You mutter into his phalanges.   
  
“then don’t screech like one of those chicks in your horror films.” He tells you.    
  
“I thought you were going to sleep.” You hiss.   
  
“well, i was, but i wanted to check on paps.” Sans’ cheeks turn a bit blue. “he, uh, has company.”   
  
“What.”   
  
“i think grillby snuck in when we weren’t looking.” His eyes shift to the side, “so you should probably bunk with me tonight.”   
  
“I swear to the stars, Sans-” You warn, “If your room still smells like gym socks, I will revolt.”   
  
His room doesn’t smell like gym socks. As a matter of fact, besides the gently whirring tornado in the corner, his room actually looks like he picked up a little. He snorts at the surprised look on your face. “i clean the place up like once a year. it’s an early gift for my bro.”   
  
“You made your bed.” You say in disbelief, “I mean, it’s still a mattress on the floor, but there’s sheets and-” He pushes you facedown into said sheets. You laugh as he collapses next to you.   
  
“go to sleep.”   
  
“You’re an ass, Sans.” You sigh, shutting your eye sockets. He chuckles, a deep sound that vibrates through his ribcage. Then you feel the tips of his phalanges stroking the back of your neckbones. It doesn’t take long for you to sleep after that.


	47. Gyftmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to unwrap presents! Also, lots of hugs and fluff and nice things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! To tell the truth, I've been worrying about this chapter for quite a while. It's a short one, but should give you one impression- that Bones has come a long way.

Papyrus isn’t much of a cuddler when he’s sleeping. Sure, he’ll hug you as you talk about your day and let you use him as a pillow, but when he’s actually asleep… he likes his space. Kind of hard to get, when you think about it. Especially when Frisk joined in on the whole ‘sharing a room’ thing. But now that they have their own room, you and Papyrus pretty much have half the bed to yourselves. You can’t help but wonder if it would be any different with him and Grillby. They’re lovers, right? Surely they’d be all intertwined together, complete with nuzzles and gentle touches and- okay, time to stop thinking about that. Papyrus is practically a brother to you!   
  
But Sans is… how to put this lightly? A stage four clinger. You think it’s because he tries to keep himself physically detached from everybody during the day. Sure, he lets you get all up in his business every so often, but it’s rare when he asks for it first, and it’s never a verbal request. He’ll just randomly lean on you until you pet him.    
  
Sans tends to stand in the background, observing, only acting when he deems it necessary. So, when he’s in a deep sleep, you believe he clings to nearest source of warmth. It happened when he had that breakdown in the hall of judgement, you remember. He absolutely refused to let go of you the entire night. You figured it’s because of the information you just gave him. Apparently not.   
  
You wake up and he’s wrapped all around you. Arms clinging around your waist, legs intertwined with yours. His skull is tucked up underneath your chin. You think he’s drooling on you. Somehow.   
  
It’s still dark in the room. The smaller skeleton tends to keep his blinds closed, unlike his younger brother, so the bedroom is shrouded in eternal darkness unless the lamp is on. You wonder what time it is. If it’s early enough, maybe you can get away with a few extra hours of sleep...   
  
“WAKE UP! IT’S GYFTMAS!” Papyrus shouts, absolutely destroying that particular plan, and bangs the door open with the strength of a herculean god. You groan and clonk your head against the top of Sans’ skull. Your bedmate sleepily chuckles.   
  
“Your brother’s awake.” You mumble.   
  
“before the sun rises, he’s your brother.” Sans groggily replies.   
  
“IT’S ALMOST NOON.” Papyrus fumes, “WE HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL MORNING FOR THE TWO OF YOU LAZYBONES TO WAKE UP.”   
  
“aw, c’mon bro, no need to be that way. we’ve got plenty of time to unwrap presents.” His yawn tickles your sternum.   
  
“BONES?!” Papyrus pleads, and when you look up he gives you the most pathetic face.    
  
“Damnit.” You groan, and Sans outright laughs at that. As you push yourself up, you say, “Okay, okay. I’m up.”   
  
Sensing victory, the younger skeleton beams back at you. “SANS, FOLLOW EVERYONE ELSE’S EXAMPLE AND GET YOUR BONES DOWNSTAIRS. GRILLBY WON’T LET ME COOK ANYTHING UNTIL ALL OF US ARE READY.”   
  
“grillb’s still here? nice.” Sans considers his options. “so, what if i just put a couple of my bones downstairs? i can spare my pinky-”   
  
“NO. ALL OF THEM MUST BE PRESENT.” Papyrus argues, then pauses. “ALSO, NEVER DO THAT. REATTACHING BONES IS A SERIOUS MATTER AND WE’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO REMOVE OUR LIMBS ALL WILLY NILLY!”    
  
“alright, bro. no point going to pieces about it.” The door slams shut before Sans can even finish his sentence.    
  
“You never actually removed your limbs before, have you?” You slowly untangle Sans’ arms from around your spine.   
  
“only when papyrus asks for a hand.” He replies, making a discontent sound when you roll off the mattress.    
  
“Why must you be this way?” You ask, grabbing at your phone. Scrolling through your inventory, you take out several wrapped packages, including the stuff you baked with Toriel. Just as you expected, the boxes still felt a bit warm from the oven and Sans’ room even starts smelling like a bakery.   
  
“part of my natural charm. a guy like me can’t get by just on looks alone.” Another yawn, and he’s crawling to the side of the bed, looking interested at your belongings. “hey, any of those for me?”   
  
“Toriel helped me make ‘em.” You find yours and Frisk’s present from her. Might as well open them downstairs with the rest.    
  
“you baked?”   
  
“Don’t sound so surprised!” You groan.   
  
“sorry, but doesn’t your expertise in cuisine end with microwavin’ baked beans from a can?”    
  
“Yes.” You grouse. “Okay, so maybe she baked and I helped mix ingredients.”   
  
“whelp,” Sans finally finds it within himself to stand, “let’s get this downstairs before paps invites the kiddo up here too.” Before you can move to gather up all the boxes, he flicks his wrist and they hover in the air.   
  
“Show off.” You accuse.   
  
“it’s easier this way.” He defends.   
  
Downstairs Frisk and Gaster are sitting on the couch. There’s some Mettaton Gyftmas special playing. As you descend, the human perks up. “Sans! Bones!”   
  
“Finally!” Gaster exclaims, “Can we get this done with already?”   
  
“yeah, yeah.” Sans makes it to the ground first, grunting when Frisk gets up and tackles him into a hug. “mornin’ kiddo.”   
  
“Merry Gyftmas, Sans!” They chirp, turning their attention on you. “Merry Gyftmas, Bones!”   
  
“Merry Gyftmas.” You reply, watching Sans as he transports the goodies into the kitchen. Frisk reaches up and you bend forward to give them a hug. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”   
  
“Papyrus was the one who woke me up.” Frisk laughs, “I think he and Grillby were the only ones who got any sleep.”   
  
“We did have a late night, didn’t we?” You sigh.    
  
“At least they weren’t too much trouble.” They then whisper, “Grillby may have threatened to burn the kitchen down a few times when Papyrus tried adding glitter to the eggnog.”   
  
“Didn’t Grillby already tell him that glitter isn’t food? Like, on their first date?” You recall that particular conversation. Papyrus sounded so confused back then.   
  
“Yeah, but he insisted that it was a ‘special occasion glitter’.” Frisk makes a face. “Anyway, what’s up with all those boxes Sans dragged down?”   
  
“Toriel baked for us.” You explain, watching as their expression lights up.   
  
“Butterscotch pie?!” They exclaim, almost squealing at your nod. They grab your hand and practically drag you into the kitchen with them.    
  
There, Grillby is standing in one corner, looking just as awkward and out of place as the last time. Sans is giving him a once over, grin twitching. You know by now he’s just suppressing laughter, but the fire elemental still looks like he’d rather make a run for it than talk. Papyrus is going through the boxes, oblivious to his boyfriend’s quiet panic.   
  
“WOWIE, WHAT A NICE LADY!” Papyrus pulls out a pie. “PERHAPS WE CAN CHEAT JUST THIS ONCE AND HAVE DESSERT FOR LUNCH! NYEHEHE!”   
  
“sounds great bro.” Sans replies, shoving his hands into his pockets.    
  
“Merry Gyftmas, Grillby.” You pipe up, startling the elemental. He jumps and gives you a slightly relieved look.   
  
_ Merry Gyftmas.  _ Grillby raises a hand and gives you a tiny wave.    
  
“Can we open presents now?” Frisk pipes up. “I wanna see what we all got each other!” Sans and Papyrus exchange a glance, look at Frisk, then nod. Cheering, the human child runs back into the living room.    
  
“Child, what are you-?!” Gaster’s yelp is heard, followed by the sound of toppling boxes.   
  
“THEY FOUND THE GIFT CLOSET.” Papyrus observes.   
  
“well, it was just a regular closet like two weeks ago.” Sans replies, “and then you went and put a sign on it that says ‘no peeking, gifts inside’. kinda hard to miss, bro.”   
  
“I DIDN’T WANT THE HUMAN TO ACCIDENTALLY SPOIL THEIR SURPRISE!” Papyrus explains, taking out plates. You’re handed a slice before he divides the rest of the pie into equal pieces. “GRILLBY, BRING THESE OUT FOR FATHER AND FRISK?”   
  
_ Of course.  _ Grillby carefully takes two plates and strides out of the kitchen, looking a lot more calmer now.    
  
Sans looks over at the bartender’s retreating backside, then winks at his brother. “nice.”   
  
“PLEASE DON’T.”   
  
“i’m only complimenting my baby bro’s taste in men!”   
  
“YOU CAN DO SO A LOT MORE APPROPRIATELY.” Papyrus crosses his arms.   
  
“socks.” Sans reminds him.   
  
“THERE WAS A SOCK!” The taller skeleton shrieks, “IT IS NOT MY FAULT IF YOU JUST… TELEPORTED IN LIKE… LIKE A TELEPORTER! A TELEPORTER WHO DOESN’T CHECK FOR THE EXISTENCE OF SOCKS!”   
  
“okay, you got me there.” Sans shrugs.    
  
“You called Gaster ‘father’.” You softly comment. Papyrus’ cheekbones turn red.   
  
“WELL, HE IS, ISN’T HE?” He shrugs, “EVEN IF HE ISN’T TECHNICALLY, SINCE WHEN DID WE NEED TO BE RELATED TO BE FAMILY?”   
  
You can’t argue with that.   
  
“GUYS! Come on!” Frisk yells from the living room.   
  
“impatient today, aren’t they?” Sans grins and strolls out of the kitchen.   
  
“WELL, THEY HAVE BEEN ONLY WAITING THE ENTIRE MORNING.” Papyrus stresses, fidgeting. You raise a brow at him. “GYFTMAS COMES ONLY ONCE A YEAR, YOU KNOW!” He turns towards the counter, where a tray of drinks are resting. “IT MUST BE EXCRUCIATING, WAITING FOR EVERYONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD TO AWAKEN SO THAT ONE MAY SEE WHAT THEIR MANY, MANY FRIENDS HAVE GOTTEN THEM!” He grabs the tray, spinning in place to face you.    
  
“Hmhm.” You hum, and spoon a large piece of pie into your mouth. Something tells you Papyrus is speaking more about himself than Frisk, but there’s no reason to point that out. Knowing the taller skeleton, he would deny it even if you did say something.    
  
“BONES, WOULD YOU TAKE THE PLATES OUT TO THE LIVING ROOM FOR ME?” Papyrus asks.   
  
“Sure.” You go to grab the ones he took out, which were still resting on the counter by his side.    
  
Just before you lift them, Papyrus leans over, gives you an affectionate nuzzle on the top of your skull, and cheerfully declares, “THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BROTHER!” You choke as he prances out towards the living room. Damn skeleton is lucky you didn’t actually pick those plates up- you would’ve dropped them!    
  
You knew that the brothers basically considered you a member of their family. But to have something so specific, so personal, spelled out to you so nonchalantly? It throws you for a loop. How do you react to this? Or should you not react at all? Play it cool and casual, like his words don’t make your SOUL feel like a heavy weight pressing down on your sternum? Yeah. That. That sounds good.    
  
Taking a deep breath, you steady your hands (why were they shaking?), grab the plates and the pie, and exit the kitchen. There, you see Gaster and Grillby sitting on the couch. Papyrus is on the floor, leaning against the fire elemental’s legs. Frisk is sitting by Gaster’s, and Sans is right by Papyrus. The gifts are in the middle of their small gathering.   
  
Sans gives you an affectionate look as you place the dishes on the floor and take a seat next to Frisk. “Everyone ready?” You ask, feeling subdued.   
  
“yup. no time like the present.” Sans winks at you.   
  
“OKAY, THAT WAS THREE IN LESS THAN AN HOUR!” Papyrus sputters, “NO MORE!”   
  
“Three?” You ask, and Papyrus cringes.   
  
“HE MADE ONE UPSTAIRS AND THEN TWO MORE IN THE KITCHEN.” He explains.   
  
“Didn’t you make two upstairs?” You ask Sans, and he grins wider.   
  
“doesn’t count if he didn’t hear ‘em.” He proudly states. “alright, so to get things rolling, me ‘n paps have a bit of a tradition where we open the one from santa first. everyone okay with that?” At everyone’s agreement, he gives a nod to Papyrus, who squeals and grabs at one of the boxes.     
  
It turns out to be a set of board games. They seem to be in fairly good condition, and you even recognize a few.  _ Sorry _ ,  _ Snakes and Ladders, _ and an  _ Uno  _ deck are a few. Thankfully, you don’t see  _ Monopoly _ . Judging by Sans’ and Papyrus’ expressions, it’s an expected, but very welcome gift.   
  
“AND WE HAVE MORE PLAYERS TO ACTUALLY PLAY!” Papyrus comments, petting one of the shiny covers. After that, the other gifts are sorted, and it becomes more like a free for all.   
  
“more purple sweaters?” Sans questions when you open the package Toriel gave you.   
  
“How many of his clothes did she shrink?!” You rummage through the clothing, chuckling to yourself. Frisk is having a similar reaction, finding a wide assortment of children’s clothing- though they do make a face when they come across a pair of socks.   
  
“THANK YOU FOR THE BOOK, BONES!” Papyrus says, unwrapping the copy of  _ The Velveteen Rabbit  _ you found.   
  
“It was a favorite of mine, other than Grimm’s stuff, back when I was a babybones.” You laugh, shrugging when Sans gives you a suspicious look. “Not everything I liked was a horror film!”   
  
“SANS.” Papyrus looks over at his brother, “LET’S READ THIS ONE TONIGHT.”   
  
“sure thing, bro.”    
  
“Bones! You got me a guitar?!” Frisk shouts once they get to your present.   
  
“I thought I can teach you.” You smile over at them, “It’s not the violin, but I figure it’s still a good starter.”   
  
“And then we can play together.” They smile back at you, hugging the acoustic guitar to themselves.    
  
The rest of the unwrapping goes by. You end up with a bunch of new books, some sort of horror manga from Alphys, and a heart shaped box of chocolates attached to a bouquet of purple roses (really, Mettaton?). Basic stuff, but it all applies to your interests. The entire process takes quite a few hours, as everyone converses. Grillby passes the eggnog around. You pass the pie. And as evening approaches, you spy Sans finding his last gift. It’s from you.   
  
Unlike Alphys, Undyne, Flowey, Grillby, or even Gaster, you wanted to give the skeleton brothers and Frisk something special. Something that can symbolize how important they are to you, and how grateful you are to them. And what better way to do that than to give them a little bit of yourself?   
  
You shared with Papyrus your love of old fairytales.   
  
You shared with Frisk your love of music.   
  
And with Sans…   
  
You admit, it was harder than you thought, trying to find a gift for the small skeleton. Sure, you can go and grab a joke book, or find something appropriately star themed. But that would be cheating. There’s really only one thing he wants from you, anyway. So you went and wrapped it up and then proceeded to forget about it until today, until  _ now,  _ because honestly? The thought of it terrifies you.    
  
It’s the first thing taken from you after your parents’ death. No one but you knows it, and you were planning to keep it that way for the rest of your life. But, you don’t want it that way. At least, not anymore. And Sans seems to be the most appropriate one to gift it to first. You  _ do  _ tend to reveal all your secrets to him first.   
  
So you watch, holding your breath, when he opens the box. He gives you a look and pulls out the envelope that is inside the box. The envelope is opened, and a piece of paper is pulled out.    
  
It’s funny, that no one realizes what’s actually going on here. They’re all talking with each other, laughing, not paying any mind to Sans’ actions. But you’re keeping a careful eye socket out, refusing to let your bones rattle from nervousness.    
  
He unfolds the paper and reads the single word you’ve written there. There’s confusion for a brief moment, but then he looks back up at you. You avert your gaze, only looking from your peripherals to see him give you a reassuring smile.    
  
Sans reaches forward and pats your knee. “so we didn’t guess it right after all.” He muses before that smile turns into something that can rival Papyrus’. “it’s perfect.”   
  
You shared with Sans your name.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Bones has a real name. Always has, always will! But Sans won' tell. :)
> 
> It is actually a name I've chosen, but it's kinda funny to think about. The actual name was never really important, ya'know? It's a symbol, and I figured our dear Bones has evolved enough to confide in at least one person.
> 
> Another funny thing? Bones is exactly the type of person that can willfully forget/procrastinate/push into the back of his mind important things until he wants to deal with it. Certain monsters just won't let him :(


	48. Mettaton Sleeps Through All of This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mettaton makes up with Napstablook and they enjoy a lovely Gyftmas together. Meanwhile, Frisk tries to free the entire underground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've noticed that some of you guys really really want Bones to have some love. The thirst is real. *evil laugh*

You don’t really recall when you went to bed. All you remember is drinking one too many eggnogs, Sans calling you a ‘lightweight’, and Papyrus dumping you on a mattress to sleep it off. Sometime during all of this, you cried. About what? Thankfully, you don’t remember that either.   
  
But you couldn’t have gotten more than a few hours of sleep- when you wake up, your bones are aching and your skull is pounding. When your eye sockets open, it’s completely dark and Sans is snoring besides you, his arms curled tightly around your humerus. You must be in his room, then. Maybe Grillby’s sleeping over again?    
  
You then notice a small mass on the other side of you, and if you weren’t feeling so much like crap you’d probably be panicking about it. Instead, you grumble and blindly pat at it. Your phalanges end up combing through soft fur.   
  
Squinting, you flick your eyelghts on, and that casts enough of a glow to make out a familiar looking canine sprawled against your side. It’s the one that had you falling out of Papyrus’ closet once upon a time. Damn, doesn’t that feel like a lifetime ago?    
  
The dog stirs and looks up at you. Its tongue rolls out of its mouth and you can feel its tail wagging against your femur. With a soft sigh you go and grab your phone from underneath the pillow. It’s barely three in the morning. It’s too early to deal with this particular intruder, so you plop yourself back down and turn your back on it to snuggle against Sans. The dog doesn’t seem to mind the movement, as they adjusted themselves to curl against the small of your spine.    
  
In this position, you doze. Not quite awake, but not really asleep. The alcohol is wearing off, but you’re still not feeling very well. It might be best to head downstairs and grab something to drink. Water or coffee or maybe even tea… With a soft groan you wiggle down the mattress until your forehead is resting against Sans’ sternum. You don’t want to move any further.    
  
“so, like…” Sans finally speaks up. It doesn’t really surprise you, but you do make a small noise of discomfort when his voice reaches your ear canals. His voice softens. “am i allowed to use your name now? or do i need to keep it on the downlow?”   
  
“It was a symbol.” You answer, “That I trust you and stuff. So, do whatever feels right I guess?”   
  
“okay.” He seems to be mulling it over. “i guess i’ll have to wait ‘til the time is right.”   
  
“You do that.”    
  
The dog stirs, looks towards the bedroom door, and lets out a shrill bark. Sans sits up, looking concerned. “the dog’s here?”   
  
“Yeah, it’s been here.” You clutch at a pillow and pull it on top of your face. “How does it even get in? Last time I saw it, it was in Papyrus’ closet.”   
  
“doggone it.” Sans mutters. “something’s up.”   
  
“What’re you talking about?” You groan, peeking from under your cushiony shield.   
  
“i dunno, something just feels off.” Sans shakes his head, “like something’s missing?”   
  
The door slams open and Papyrus strides in, followed by a bewildered Grillby. Hah. So you were right! The fire elemental looks so out of place, wearing one of Papyrus’ old pajama bottoms and… not much else. Papyrus himself seems to have dressed himself in a hurry- his shirt is wrinkled and the belt on his pants is still unclasped.    
  
“Hot damn.” You find yourself commenting. Sans slaps a hand over your eye sockets, snickering.   
  
“what’s up, bro?” Sans finally shakes off his amusement to ask. You grab at his hand, prying the phalanges apart to continue staring. You can’t help it! You mean, why (or how is the better question) does Grillby have a six pack?!   
  
“SANS.” Papyrus fiddles with his hands, looking really worried. “WHAT ROLE DOES FLOWEY PLAY IN ALL OF THIS?”   
  
“what?!” That gets the small skeleton out of bed. He’s grabbing his jacket from its hanging position on the closet door. “did he say something weird? what did he do?”   
  
_ He implied that Frisk went to face the king.  _ Grillby supplies as Sans stuffs himself into his jacket.  _ And that we should go help them. _   
  
Something cold runs down your spine. “It’s after Gyftmas.” You whisper. Of course the kid kept their word. They let you have the holiday. But it’s technically the next day, isn’t it? Looks like they didn’t want to delay any further… But why didn’t they take the time to warn you, at the very least?!   
  
“damn it.” Sans says, sounding very frustrated. “i usually meet them right at the judgement hall  _ before  _ flowey tells anybody… damn that weed!”   
  
_ Usually? Frisk has done this before?  _ Grillby looks all the more confused. Papyrus gives his boyfriend a guilty look. And of course the big lug didn’t tell the bartender about any of this. You suppose there never was a good moment to do so. But that doesn’t matter. You have to focus. What do you do now?!   
  
“Frisk snuck out.” You sit up, clutching the pillow to your chest. “While we were all sleeping. Before anyone can try to talk them out of it.”   
  
“of course they did.” Sans watches as you throw the pillow against the wall. You roll over to grab your clothes from off the floor.    
  
“WHAT DO WE DO?!” Papyrus asks, waving his arms about.   
  
“what do you think we should do?” Sans shoots back. You shove your feet into your boots.   
  
“EVERY PART OF ME SAYS THAT WE SHOULD GO AND HELP THEM!” He says in distress, “BUT YOU KNOW WHAT’S BEST, RIGHT? THAT’S WHY I WENT TO WAKE YOU UP.”   
  
“shit.” His brother hisses, “paps, look at me. all of my notes on everything that’s happened before, none of them compare to this. this timeline is an anomaly, bro. i have no idea what’s going to happen.” And Sans sure does look terrified at the thought. “you know i’m not a skeleton of action. that’s you. so, i’m gonna ask you again, papyrus: what do you think we should do?”   
  
“I…” Papyrus hesitates, “I… I THINK WE SHOULD GO HELP FRISK. I DON’T WANT THEM TO GET HURT!”   
  
“then that’s exactly what we’ll do.” Sans looks over at you. “ready?” At your nod he turns to Grillby. “mind holding down the fort? i have a feelin’ we’ll be needing you here.”   
  
_ Yes.  _ Grillby shoots Papyrus a look.  _ You will explain everything later? _ __  
__  
“OF COURSE!” Satisfied, Grillby embraces the taller skeleton and nuzzles his face against his. “IT’S… QUITE THE DOOZY OF A STORY. BUT I’LL TRY TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION YOU HAVE!”   
  
_ Bring Frisk back. Stay safe.  _   
  
Sans grabs your wrist, then gestures at his brother. Papyrus releases Grillby to take his other hand. “thanks, grillbz. be back in a jiffy.”   
  
In a blink of an eye, you go from Sans’ bedroom to King Asgore’s throne room.    
  
You don’t know what you were expecting to find. Maybe Frisk, already dead and their SOUL in the king’s massive paws. Or maybe Asgore’s dust, resting in a pile amongst the golden flowers. Whatever the case, your worst fear is that once you and the brothers arrive, everything would be over and there’d be nothing you can do.    
  
Once you catch your bearings, you hear a soft grunt of pain. It’s coming from Asgore! You let go of Sans and gasp at the sight.   
  
Frisk is standing in front of the king, a familiar knife in their hand. Asgore himself is grabbing his just injured forearm. His head is down, shadowing his face.    
  
“FIGHT BACK!” Frisk desperately yells, angrily rubbing sweat off their forehead, “Don’t you want to free everybody?! You only need one more- this is your only chance!”   
  
“Human.” Asgore says, voice calm but mostly sorrowful. “Go home.”   
  
“Why are you doing this?!” They shriek, raising a trembling arm to attack again. You can see it on their face- they don’t want to do this. Nothing is going according to their plan. Of course nothing isn’t. Don’t they see? You watch as Asgore takes a few steps back, clearly signalling that the powerful monster does not want to fight.   
  
Before Frisk can make another move, you already have a shield up between them. It’s one of the most massive you’ve ever made- thick and towering over the king protectively. Asgore looks up at this, eyes wide in astonishment. His head turns and he spots you. When you give him a  thumbs up his mouth twitches.   
  
“frisk, buddy- what do you think you’re doing?” Sans voice is dark and angry. Frisk flinches back from it. “give me that.” The human looks down at the knife. “hand it over, frisk.”   
  
“This… this isn’t how it’s supposed to work!” They shout.    
  
“HUMAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP DOING A VIOLENCE?” Papyrus asks, voice small and scared. Frisk closes their eyes, shoulders slumping in defeat. They take a deep breath, then fling the knife away. It’s immediately surrounded in blue as Sans snatches it from the air. Weapon successfully taken away, you lower the shield, panting softly. Your skull pounds in protest of your massive use of magic.    
  
“I just… want everyone to be free.” Frisk says, looking down at their feet. “I don’t understand.”    
  
Asgore gives the human a gentle look and approaches. When his shadow casts over the human’s body, they finally look up. You tense, waiting for whatever the king decides to do. A massive paw clasps the child on the shoulder.   
  
“Child.” Asgore’s voice booms, “This is not your burden to bear.”   
  
“But-” They start, only shushing when the BOSS monster shakes his head.   
  
“I cannot change my past.” He gently continues, “But I can change what I do now and in the future. My people will not be freed because of my merciless actions. We will find another way.”   
  
“But, the SOULs!” Frisk protests.   
  
“Yes, well…” Asgore starts, but then you hear a slamming sound, followed by two yelling voices. Everyone turns to see a fuming Toriel hurrying inside, followed by a surprised looking Undyne, who has a tight hold on the sleeve of the queen’s robes. Spotting Asgore, Toriel’s frown deepens, and she proceeds towards him. Undyne digs in her heels, but is effortlessly dragged along behind her.   
  
“OH MY GOD, would you just stop?!” Undyne yells.    
  
“I-it’s all a misunderstanding, I- I bet!” Alphys yelps, scurrying into the throne room. “P-please, your m-majesty, I’m sure w-we all j-just need to sit d-down and talk about this!”   
  
“Tori?” Asgore asks, and the hopeful expression on his face has your SOUL feeling like it’s being torn apart. But now is not the time, you try to tell yourself. You can act all sad and mopey once Frisk is safe, back at home.    
  
“You’re really choosing mercy this time, aren’t you.” Frisk says, looking subdued. The king tears his gaze away from his wife, to turn towards the human again. At his nod, they sigh, then jump at Asgore. In his surprise, the king catches the child. Frisk hugs them as best they can, which isn’t saying much, considering how large the monster is compared to their smaller frame. Carefully, he hugs the child back.   
  
Toriel, despite her fury, stops her pursuit to stare in disbelief. With a relieved sigh, Undyne lets go of the queen’s robe and collapses on the ground. Alphys goes directly towards her, hugging the fish monster to her.   
  
“That woman dragged me here like I was nothing more than a doll.” Undyne faintly says.   
  
“Y-you t-tried your best, love.” Alphys assures her.   
  
“What is going on here?!” Toriel demands. The only other monster she recognizes is you, so that’s who she turns to. “Explain!”   
  
“I’m wondering what’s going on myself.” You reply, wearily looking from her to Asgore.    
  
You see the king give Frisk another tight squeeze before carefully letting them go. He rests a paw on their head. “Go back to your guardian, child.”   
  
“I’m sorry.” Frisk chokes out.   
  
“There is nothing to apologize for.” He gives them a reassuring smile. Frisk smiles back before turning towards you. To your relief, they do not hesitate to run into your arms.   
  
“What did you think you were doing?!” You yell as you clutch at them.   
  
“I- I thought if I timed this right, we’d all be able to see the sunrise.” They whisper so that you can only hear.    
  
“Seriously, kid?” You groan even as you nuzzle the top of their head. “You about gave everybody a heart attack.”   
  
“Sorry.” They mumble.   
  
“Are… Are you truly not going to harm the child?” Toriel asks.   
  
“I will not.” Asgore bows his head.   
  
“It is a little too late for the other little ones.” Her tone is even, but you can see the anger in her eyes.    
  
“Indeed it is.” The king sighs, then turns towards his thrones. “My only wish is that I have come to my senses sooner.”   
  
“What made you change your mind?” The queen goes to your side. At your questioning look, she gives you a nod.    
  
Asgore clears his throat, and when he has everyone’s attention, he grabs the sheet that covers the queen’s seat and pulls it off. The throne underneath is pristine, and very odd looking, compared to its beat up counterpart. “A lot has changed in just a few short months.” He answers.   
  
“I asked you a question, Dreemur.” Toriel sternly reminds him.    
  
“This human.” Asgore turns to give Frisk another fond look. “They have been living underground for quite a long time. Not as long as our own child, but still… They have been taken in by monsters. They have attended our schools. They have played and made friends with our children. It is… not hard, to be reminded of better times.”   
  
“They remind you of…” Toriel starts, and Asgore nods. They both appear to be holding back tears. “And the others did not?”   
  
“I have never given the others a chance to.”    
  
“So what do you intend to do now?” She crosses her arms. “You take your words back, and then what? Expect your kingdom to accept it? Just like that? And what of the SOULs you possess now?”   
  
“What I intend to do…” Asgore repeats, disgruntled, “Is attempt to make things right. And yes, Tori, I do know that will take quite a long time. Maybe even another thousand years worth of good deeds. But, eventually, I will do so. And to start…” He presses a button, hidden on the arm of Toriel’s throne. A buzzing sound is heard, then a click. The king reaches down and pulls the cushion up. Seven clear canisters rise from the compartment hidden within. And in six of them…   
  
So those are the SOULs. Each a different color. Some brighter than others. All a little different in terms of size and health. The yellow one looks the most fragile, you think. Like a melting snowflake. But the orange one is almost too intense to look at. You wonder why.   
  
“I will free these SOULs.” Asgore proclaims. “So these fallen children can finally be laid to rest. And we will strive to find a better way out of our prison.”   
  
“Asgore…” Toriel sniffs, looking away from the sight.   
  
“so that’s it, then.” Sans says, somewhat in disbelief. “is this really the end?”   
  
“I’m not resetting anymore.” Frisk whispers, clutching at your sweater. You haven’t let them go throughout this entire conversation.   
  
“Wasn’t expecting you to.” You mutter back.   
  
“No, this is not an end.” Asgore firmly says, “But a new beginning for all of those that are underground.” Without another word, he reaches forward to grab the first canister.   
  
A long, green vine wraps around his wrist before he can touch it. The king pauses, surprised, and then another vine wraps around his other arm. He jerks in their grip.   
  
“Asgore!” Undyne shouts, springing up. A spear is already in her hands as she rushes to defend her king. But then another vine erupts from the ground, wrapping her legs together before moving up to immobilize her arms. She falls to the ground with a surprised shout.   
  
More vines appear out of nowhere. You manage to leap out of the way of one, ready to shield yourself and Frisk. Sans and Papyrus surround Alphys, who frantically fiddles with her phone before Papyrus is taken down, then dragged away.   
  
“IT APPEARS I HAVE BEEN CAPTURED.” Papyrus shouts, “WHELP, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE IN QUITE A PICKLE.”   
  
“well, bro, if you’re captured…” Sans shrugs, “looks like we don’t stand a chance.” He lets the next vine grab him.   
  
“YOU  _ DID NOT _ JUST LET YOURSELF GET CAPTURED!” Papyrus huffs as he is dangled in the air.    
  
“uuuh…”   
  
“REALLY, SANS?!”   
  
“Oh no Oh no! I-if I can j-just activate the d-defenses! AAAH!!” The phone is slapped out of Alphys’ hand. With a shriek, she’s taken next.   
  
Surprisingly, you’re the last to get grabbed. The vines are gentle enough as they separate you from Frisk, and you are soon joining Sans and Papyrus in your own little corner. And the only reason you’re not  _ really  _ panicking about all of this? The look on Frisk’s face. It’s like things are finally starting to make sense to the kid. You guess everything’s getting back on track.   
  
“You. Idiots.” Flowey pops out of the ground, looking pleased with himself. “So easily distracted, so easily persuaded. Do you REALLY think you all can play family and live happily ever after? HAH!”   
  
“Flowey!” Frisk cries out. The plant turns his head, expression becoming absolutely devilish.    
  
“Howdy, Frisk!” He singsongs. “You know, I can’t believe I was mad at you all this time! I mean, you were only doing exactly what I wanted!”   
  
“this plant for serious?” Sans mutters.   
  
“Can’t you, like teleport out and stab him with a bone?” You ask. You don’t really want him to do that, of course. You’ve grown fond of Flowey, despite Sans’ warnings. As a matter of fact, the flower’s actions have really caught you by surprise. But, well. Frisk is kinda your priority now.    
  
“three dogs.” The smaller skeleton reminds you.   
  
“THAT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE ANY SENSE!” Papyrus bellows, kicking out at the air.   
  
“I… I did?” Frisk stammers, taking a step back.   
  
“Well, yeah!” Flowey responds, sticking a tongue out. “I mean, I only wanted my best friend to play with me forever! And that’s exactly what you’re doing, isn’t it? I admit, I was getting a little impatient this time around. It sure did take you a while to get here! But now, I understand. Waiting like you made me do… it only makes my victory so much more sweeter!”    
  
Vines wrap around the canisters, and they squeeze until the glass shatters. “This is kinda a novelty, isn’t it?” Flowey muses as the SOULs circle around him. “We’ve been veering off script for quite a while now. I mean, I’m not a very good actor, even with a script. Hehe. But at least I’ve learned I can improvise!”   
  
Your restraints tighten around your limbs. You feel something like lightning traveling through your body. And as you cry out in pain, you can feel your teeth dissolving. In your panic, you think,  _ I’m turning into dust. _ __  
__  
“Don’t worry, guys. It’ll aaaall be over soon.” Flowey winks at you, “And, hey, think of it this way, Bones! Maybe the next time Frisk will leave well enough alone and you’ll stay niiiiice and safe away from here!”   
  
You pass out as Flowey’s cackles run through your mind.


	49. The Lost SOUL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk is a snoop and Bones can't tell the difference between seeds and eggs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. Things have been hectic, and tbh this chapter has been another difficult one for me.

You don’t know where you are. Everything is just a blurry gray, broken up by thousands of little lights. When one is close enough, you can make out their shape. Each one looks the same- white, upside down hearts. Something tells you that’s important. That you should know what those little lights are. But you can’t bring yourself to try and figure out why.

Instead, you float amongst the gray landscape, occasionally passing white hearts that are doing the same, They hover and circle around you curiously, and once satisfied they wander off again. You do the same to others that catch your interest. Some of them feel familiar to you, oddly enough. And they seem to recognize you in turn.

But that’s impossible, isn’t it? No one actually knows you. Hell, you barely know yourself! He made sure of that, didn’t he? The one person who shouldn’t harm you but did. The manipulator. The one who isolated you from absolutely everything that could have given you a normal life. 

What gave him the right to do the things he did? Did you mean nothing to him? You were his nephew! He was supposed to protect you, encourage you, let you grow. 

How dare he.

You. Hate. Him.

White-hot anger pulses through your SOUL, and the more you stew on these thoughts, the greater the intensity of those feelings. It’s like the dam you’ve built to hold what you’ve truly felt inside has finally broken and now all that’s left is to let the poison pour out. 

Flowey’s right. You can’t just go on forgiving everyone for every wrong committed. Your family hurt you, the foster system failed you, all your life you had to steal the things you needed just to survive… When do you get to be mad?! When do you get to say ‘Enough!’?

“Bones!” Something calls in the distance, temporarily snapping you out of your thoughts. Your attention focuses on it, an uneasy feeling spreading across your SOUL. Who is summoning you?

“Bones!” You can feel it calling again, but that doesn’t make sense. Why would anybody be calling you? “Bones, can you hear me?! Please, I need you!” The source of this call is coming close. Too close. You don’t want to answer. Besides, who really needs an old sack of bones like you around anyway? You can barely take care of yourself, you can’t help anybody in any significant way- 

“BONES!” Why are they still calling you?!

“SHUT UP!” You roar, flinging a conjured bone towards where you think the source is coming from. “Leave me alone!”

All the little hearts that were fluttering around you are long gone now. Whether they were disturbed by your angry outburst, or by the noisy little interloper who is intruding, you do not know. In the end, like always, you are left alone. But that’s what you wanted, right?

You collapse on your knees and cradle your face in your hands. 

“Bones…” The voice is quieter now, but infinitely closer. You flinch, but don’t otherwise make a move. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay soon. I just need your help-”

“How?” You bitterly reply, “I’m nothing but bones, kid. A real waste of resources. You’re better off asking some other homeless bum for help.”

“No!” They persistently grab at your phalanges, doing their best to draw them away from your face. You stubbornly keep them where they are. “How can you say that? Do you really think Sans or Papyrus would love you like they do if… if they think that way about you? Do you really think I would?”

“What are you talking about?” You finally look up, but don’t recognize the figure hesitantly hovering in front of you. Their face is twisted with worry. Guilt rises against your sternum. “Who… who are you?” Sans… Papyrus… their names sound familiar, but that’s impossible. How can they love you if they don’t even know you, or you them?!

“It’s me, Frisk!” They desperately look into your eye sockets. “You were like my dad for the past month! You made me do homework and go to school-!” You laugh. The very idea of that happening is preposterous. You, being so close to somebody? It’s funny. 

“Bones!” They reproachfully say. “It’s true. Remember when Mettaton and I were fighting and you rescued me? Or when you helped me rescue Dr. Gaster? Well, you rescued him, but I got you on the right track! And way back in the beginning, before we got underground? Those humans were gonna hurt us, but I got you out of there, right?”

“Don’t you have something better to do?” You ask, “Instead of bothering me?”

“No!” They persist, starting to look angry. “I’ve… We’ve… come too far! I’m not going to give up now! What’s going to make you believe me, Bones? What’s going to make you remember?!”

“...” You think about it. What would help this child prove their point? And, why exactly are you even considering the notion that they genuinely care? Still, if you and Frisk are as close as they claim, wouldn’t they know everything about you? In all honesty, you’d like that very much. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? To have a real connection with someone else... You try to squash the hope swelling within you. “Are we really that close?”

“Yes!” They cry out, relief potent in their voice. 

“Then what’s my name?” They pause and stare at you. “I made a promise to myself, a long time ago, that if I trusted someone enough… I’d tell them. So, if what you say is true, you’ll know what it is.” You hollowly laugh. “But, then again… if you did know my name, why would you be calling for ‘Bones’?”

“Okay. I can do that.” To your surprise, Frisk confidently smirks. “But you have to promise that you won’t get mad!”

“Why would I get mad?” You ask, confused. This child is crazy.

“We’re almost at the end of the road, you know.” They wistfully sigh, ignoring your question. It’s a frustratingly familiar action. “I mean, I enjoyed this run, and I know you did too. But it’s time to go back to the surface. It’s time to free everybody.”

“Are you stalling or something?” They grin and give you a shrug. Frowning, you pull away from them and stand up. “Okay, I have no more time for your games. So, I’m gonna go and do… something else.” Forget about the fact that you seem to be floating in an endless void of gray. But, hey, at least that rage you were feeling earlier is gone.

“Courier.” Frisk states. You freeze. “That’s it, right?”

“W-what?!” You spin around, hand clutching at your sternum. “H-how?” You can feel your bones rattling.

“Snap out of it!” Frisk orders, “And remember who we are!”

And just like that, the fog that was cluttering your mind dissipates and the last few months of your life snap back into place. Falling into the underground, meeting all the others, all the shit you went through… Because of them. You glare down at the human, who is looking less and less confident with every second of your stony silence.

“I never told you that!” You accuse, and a smug grin creeps across their face. “When did you- The hell, Frisk?!” You know for damn sure Sans didn’t tell them!

“I snooped in your things like a week ago. I was looking for my Gyftmas present.” When you make another angry sound, Frisk snickers. “Yeah, yeah. You can ground me later for being a sneak once we’re out of here. And to be fair, Bones? Courier’s like, a really boring name. I was hoping it would be something ridiculous like Bookman or Centaur.”

“You know a ridiculous amount of fonts.” You faintly reply, “And it’s a classic name!”

“Me and Sans checked a book full of them from the libarby.” They admit without shame.

“Wait…” You slowly say, taking another good look at your surroundings. “Where are we anyway? What happened?! I- Flowey was here, and then he-!”

“I don’t have time to explain.” They reply, “I have to find the others and snap them out of it too. Just… stay here, okay? I’ll get you out of here, but you have to trust me.”

“But I don’t…” You start to say, pausing before closing your eye sockets. “I don’t want to be alone in here.” 

Frisk closes the distance between the two of you again, wrapping you in a hug. You hug them back, nuzzling at their mop of hair. “You won’t be for long. I promise. Just- stay here for me. Okay?”

“...Fine. Get us out of here, Frisk” You groan, and just like that they’re gone. “Now what?”

Standing around doing nothing, knowing that Frisk is off doing dangerous things again, makes you feel pretty useless. You don’t like that. But, where can you go? What can you do? 

No, seriously. Where the hell are you? This isn’t the void. There, things were significantly… blacker. Like everything lacked substance. But here, in this large gray expanse...it’s different. But you don’t know how.

A group of those little hearts from earlier speed past you, erratically vibrating about. You get the impression they’re agitated about something. They soon disappear from sight, but then more of them appear. Hundreds of them, buzzing like angry little bees, and all of them are traveling in the same direction. Something important must be happening.

You trail behind them, curiosity overriding common sense once again. You know Frisk wants you to stay put, but you can’t help it. 

It feels like you were walking for an eternity before you finally spot what has them all so agitated. 

There must be thousands of them, you think. And they’re all monster SOULs. You recognize that now. If you were more into monster biology and SOUL studies, this would be absolutely fascinating. After all, monsters aren’t truly physical like humans and other animals are. They come in all shapes and sizes, and most wouldn’t ever be possible without magic. When a monster’s SOUL is at its most basic, purest, form however? They form those little upside down heart shapes. 

From what you’ve read, that only happens two times during a monster’s life- when their SOUL is newly created, and just before they die of old age. And none of these SOULs look like they’re at one stage or the other.

You look down at yourself. Were you like them, before Frisk called for you? You honestly don’t know. 

And then something amazing happens. A human SOUL, dark violet in color, zooms in close to your face. You yelp and take a step back. It carefully edges close again, before stopping to hover right in front of you. 

“H-hello?” You nervously greet it. A strong, joyous pulse strums through your body and you gasp. The purple SOUL circles around you excitedly before diving into the crowd of monster SOULs. The monsters clear a path for it, leaving a clear view to the middle of this crowded gathering.

Another foreign pulse races through you, this time of impatience. You guess that means you’re supposed to follow? Alright then. So you follow this purple SOUL, who has parted the crowd of white monster SOULs the same way Moses probably parted the sea, all the while feeling more than a little lost and confused about this entire thing. 

The other human SOULs, because of course they’re there too, hover protectively around a small object. You’re not sure what they’re guarding, but the monster SOULs seem more curious than anything else. They would inquisitively try to get closer, only backing away when a human SOUL blocks the way. You note that everyone is carefully avoiding being touched by the other. 

When they spot you, however, they invite you into their little circle. You only know that because, yet again, another pulse of emotion races through your SOUL. It’s almost like how elementals like to communicate, only in a much simpler way. Caveman grunts versus english, you can’t help but compare. 

Once you step through, the SOULs rearrange themselves to circle around both you, and the… you squint at the object they’ve been guarding. It’s roughly circular, though slanted at the sides. The surface appears dark and rough to the touch. Roughly about the size of a softball. It reminds you of a seed, despite its size. But what is it doing here, of all places?

It’s hovering at about your chest level. Carefully, you place your hands on either side of it. You wait for a second to make sure nothing happens. There’s a small part of you that’s expecting this thing to explode like one of Mettaton’s bombs.

You turn the object over, studying the surface with a critical eye. What’s so important about this thing? Why were the human SOULs guarding it so vigilantly? So many questions are running through your skull, and you have a feeling that nothing will ever truly be answered. It’s frustrating to think about.

There’s are cracks on the surface, you finally make out. They’re splintered, similar to the way a hardboiled egg would look when you tap the shell against a spoon. A SOUL sends you an encouraging pulse.

Taking a deep breath, you use the tips of your phalanges to carefully pick at a crack. When something nudges at you from within that sphere, you let out a startled yelp and almost drop the thing. You watch, fascinated, as whatever’s inside the sphere pushes against the outer shell. After a few moments it stops.

Is this a seed or… an egg?

You wait a few seconds, quieting down your nerves, before you start picking at the cracks again. Silently, you work until your phalanges finally make their way through the thick protective surface. You curl the tips of your fingers inside, wincing when something warm brushes against them. 

Getting a good grip, you tug at the edge of the hole you made until the sides tear and you’re able to make the opening bigger. Big enough that, you decide, whatever’s in there should be able to get out. Work done, you patiently wait.

You’re honestly surprised when it doesn’t turn out to be some weird alien facehugger. Surprised, but relieved too.

Instead, a little monster SOUL peeks out. You gasp as it slowly makes its way out of the shell, unsteadily hovering. You let go of the seed and it topples uselessly at your feet. Extending a hand, you let the SOUL rest on your palm. 

It looks so delicate, just resting there. So trusting too. You trace a phalange down the middle of it, watching in fascination when it leans into your touch.

“A new SOUL.” You say in awe. 

The world around you shakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One mystery about Bones solved! And in all honestly, this is exactly how I originally wanted it to be revealed. How else would Frisk be able to snap that stubborn skeleton out of his self pity session?
> 
> I truly appreciate everyone's encouragement throughout this entire story! We're finally going to be seeing the surface!


	50. The Surface

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet an old friend.

When you were fifteen, a couple of your foster siblings broke into the liquor cabinet and took a bunch of bottles. They hid everything in this toolshed that your guardians never used. It was old and falling apart, almost full to the brim with broken tools and plywood. During your stay there, it became something like a clubhouse everyone used to get away from the adults. And, well, as long as you were all keeping out of trouble, they really didn’t care what you were doing. After all, they only fostered you and the others for the nice paycheck. It’s not like they had any emotional investment in the children they sheltered.    
  
The others invited you later that night to help them drink it all. You don’t know if that was out of the goodness of their hearts, or if they just really wanted to see a skeleton get drunk, but you didn’t care. At the time you were in the process of dropping out, and your caretakers were pissed that they had to go to the school to meet with well meaning but deluded teachers. Life just sucked, and you took this as an opportunity to forget for a while.   
  
Needless to say, you woke up the next morning to the screaming and crying of your foster siblings. Turns out everyone passed out and were caught by the husband. He… didn’t take kindly to thieves.    
  
The only reason you weren’t also beaten was because you had the forethought to sleep everything off in your room instead of in the toolshed. When the other kids tried to say that you were involved too, they didn’t believe it. After all, you were the  _ good  _ child. Sure, you were a dumb monster who couldn’t stay in school, but at least you weren’t a  _ thief. _ Just the memory of the wife saying those words to the other kids makes you want to laugh until you cry.   
  
It wasn’t the first time these people beat their foster kids, but it was certainly the most severe. You were able to tell by the careful way they had to carry themselves throughout the next few weeks- carefully, like any quick movement would hurt. One of the kids had to show you her back because it was just a mishmash of bruises overlapping each other and she couldn’t reach far enough to put on that pain numbing gel you stole for them.   
  
She told you her entire body felt like one big bruise. When you told her that’s what she basically was, she laughed. Said you were lucky that you didn’t have any skin or blood. You would never feel the way she did at this moment.   
  
But, as of right now… you beg to differ.   
  
When you come back to yourself, you’re laying on the ground, cushioned only by golden flowers. Everything aches, from the tip of your toes to the top of your skull. On top of that, you can feel your SOUL wildly pulsating against your sternum in a painful manner. You are not in the best shape right now, and you don’t know why. What happened?   
  
You make a move to lift yourself from the ground, arms shaking enough that you end up collapsing on your side. Okay. So that’s not happening soon. Instead, you focus on calming yourself down. Think about where you are. The throne room, right? That’s the only place you recall where golden flowers run rampant in the underground. So, why are you here?   
  
Frisk. They went to face Asgore. You stopped the fight before any real damage was done. The king was about to renounce his plans for the human SOULs. The queen and the others showed up, and then…   
  
Vines. Flowey captured everyone and took the SOULs. And then…   
  
Nothing.   
  
“Hey! Is everyone okay?!” Undyne shouts from… somewhere. You whimper when her voice only makes the ache in your skull worse.   
  
“W-what happened?” Alphys timidly pipes up. “O-ow, w-why do I feel so s-sore?”   
  
“SANS! NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR A NAP!” A short pause, and then Papyrus says in a much more concerned voice, “YOU… YOU ARE ALRIGHT, RIGHT?”   
  
“...i’m gonna need the number for that truck.”   
  
“OH, GOOD. YOU’RE MAKING JUST ABOUT AS MUCH SENSE AS YOU REGULARLY DO. WHICH IS NOT MUCH.”   
  
“love ya too, bro.”   
  
“Wait! Where’s Bones and the human?” Undyne asks.   
  
“Present.” You manage to croak out.      
  
“bones?” Relief is palpable in Sans’ voice, and you feel him getting close to you. You let out a small groan and curl further into yourself. He chuckles and places a warm hand on your shoulder. “c’mon sweetheart, time to rise and shine.”   
  
“Fuck off.” You mutter, turning your head to squint up at him. Sans is on his knees by your side, the dark circles under his eye sockets more pronounced than normal. His clothing is a mess too, all tattered and ruffled. Otherwise, he looks okay. “You look like shit.” You can’t help but comment. He only grins wider and offers a hand. Eyes rolling, you accept the offered help and sit up.    
  
“any chance you remember what happened?” Sans asks. He’s in the same boat as you are, it seems. “after flowey showed up, everything becomes a big ol’ wall of gray.”   
  
“Same.” You sigh and press your forehead against his hoodie. Your SOUL is already calming from his presence. “Is everyone okay?”   
  
“...” The smaller skeleton strokes the back of your neck. “yeah, i think so.”   
  
“I have found the human.” Toriel calls out, “They seem to be fine, but they are still sleeping.”   
  
“Frisk!” Sans has to help you to your feet, but you eventually get there. “W-where?”   
  
Sans points, and turning to look, you spy Toriel by the thrones. There, curled up in one of the large seats, is Frisk. The queen is fussing over them. They don’t appear injured, but that doesn’t stop you from rushing over to see for yourself.    
  
Toriel turns to look at you, her mouth open as if to say something. But she takes one look at your face and her jaw snaps closed. Without another word she backs away, letting you take her place in front of the throne.    
  
The thrones are large- large enough to seat BOSS monsters such as Toriel and Asgore, and thus the seats are slightly taller than the top of your pelvis. You don’t even have to bend to run a shaky hand through the child’s thick mop of hair. Somewhere along the way, their braid has come undone. In the corner of your mind, you note that Frisk is going to hate having to comb through all of it again.    
  
“Hey, kid. Time to get up.” You gently shake their shoulder. They groan in response, not unlike the way you did with Sans. “No, seriously.”   
  
“Amazing.” You can hear Asgore in the background. His voice is low, his tone questioning. It’s like he can’t believe what he is seeing. “The barrier…”   
  
“What’s going on, Asgore?” Undyne asks. One glance tells you she and Alphys are grouped together. The yellow monster is frantically searching through the flowers for something. Most likely her phone.   
  
“The barrier is gone.” The king breathes. Startled, you look up and meet his gaze. His eyes are wide and round, his muzzle twitching as if to withhold a large grin. “I could not help but check. It seems that we are free.”   
  
“Told you I knew what I was doing.” Frisk mumbles. You look down to scowl at the smug look on their face. They let out a weak laugh and push themselves into a sitting position.    
  
“How?!” You demand, and their smile falters a bit.   
  
“You don’t remember?” They ask, sighing when you shake your head. “Doesn’t matter, I guess. Flowey’s defeated, the SOULs are free, and the barrier’s broken. Happy endings for all.”   
  
“...Really?” You skeptically ask. “Because it looks like you’re holding something back.”   
  
Frisk reaches up and makes grabby hands at you. Snorting, you let them pull you in for a hug. They wrap their arms around your neck and nuzzle their cheek against yours. “...Yeah. Guess I am.” Damn that human and their mysterious ways. “But it’s one of those things that are hard to explain. We can talk later.”   
  
“HUMAN! BONES!” Papyrus appears out of nowhere to wrap his arms around the both of you, squeezing tightly enough to lift you off the ground. Frisk laughs in childish delight while you shout and squirm. “IS WHAT THE KING SAYS TRUE?! CAN WE GO OUTSIDE?!”   
  
“Yes.” Asgore replies. Papyrus whoops and spins in place, taking you and Frisk along for the ride.    
  
“THEN WHY ARE WE STILL LOLLYGAGGING?” You are carefully placed on the ground. Frisk grasps your arm when you stumble, laughing as Papyrus sprints towards the door.    
  
“wait up, bro!” Sans calls out, immediately following his excited brother. Alphys and Undyne are the next ones to go through- Alphys firmly clutching her precious phone and Undyne firmly holding her free hand.    
  
“I can not believe this day has come.” Toriel whispers. You take a deep breath and nod in agreement. Your phalanges absentmindedly comb through Frisk’s hair. “What do we do now?”   
  
“We should keep silent. At least until we come into contact with the nearest human settlement.” Asgore replies, giving his queen a shy look. She frowns but doesn’t seem to disagree. “Hopefully, the war is naught but a distant memory, and we can finally live on the surface in peace.”   
  
“Frisk.” Toriel looks over at them, expression warm. “You know the way down the mountain, yes? Perhaps you can lead us.”   
  
“Yeah.” They easily agree. “C’mon, Bones!” Grabbing your hand, you are lead out the door.   
  
It’s a short walk through the tunnel towards the surface. Soon you are joining Sans and Papyrus, who are looking over the horizon. And, just like Frisk hoped, the sun is rising. You stand next to the older brother, patiently watching as that glowing orb in the sky makes its way higher and higher, illuminating the forest below and the tall buildings of Ebott in the distance.   
  
What an eerie sight, you think. The city looks so strange and unfamiliar, despite the fact you lived in its streets for many years. Everything looks so… open, but at the same time, so stifling. You suddenly find yourself fighting against the urge to go back into the mountain. To Snowdin.    
  
“you okay there?” Sans asks, and you numbly shake your head.   
  
“How am I going to explain… everything. To the others.” You whisper. Because once you’re back in Ebott, there’s no denying it. You basically lied to everyone underground about where you came from. Sure, Papyrus and Sans know and understand. But would Alphys and Undyne? And what about the king and queen?    
  
“heh. you’ll figure it out.” He elbows your side. “if anything, you can give us the grand tour.”   
  
If by ‘grand tour’ Sans means the best park benches to sleep on, sure. Or maybe you can show him that little cabin you were using before Frisk showed up and dragged you underground. You cross your arms and stare down at your boots. There really isn’t anything you’d want to show them up here. What an absolute joke your life was.   
  
“Let us rest for a little while.” Toriel announces, finally joining the rest of you on the outside. Asgore meekly follows behind her. “Afterwards, we shall make our way down.”   
  
“This is the beginning of a bright new future. An era of peace between humans and monsters.” The king says, looking towards the city in the distance. “Frisk… Toriel and I have talked, and have something to ask of you. Will you act as our ambassador to the humans?”   
  
“If you ever need me for anything, I’ll be glad to help.” The child replies without even thinking about it.   
  
“YEAH! FRISK WILL BE THE BEST AMBASSADOR!” Papyrus immediately shows his support and beams down at them. “AND I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL MAKE THE MOST EXCELLENT MASCOT!”   
  
Sans immediately starts coughing. With a soft snort, you clap his shoulder. “yes you will, bro.” He utters.    
  
“LET US MAKE WAY!” Bouncing in place, Papyrus turns his pleading eyes to the king and queen. “I THINK WE RESTED ENOUGH!”   
  
“I already have guards posted outside the throne room.” Asgore looks bashful all of a sudden. “I told them that there was an important meeting taking place, and that no one is to disturb us. This will buy us enough time to make contact with the humans.”   
  
“When the two of you are ready,” Toriel gives you a gentle, pained smile, “Meet us further down the path. I expect you have some things to talk about.”   
  
“it’ll be fine.” Sans reassures you. Papyrus gives you another quick hug before running off to join Alphys and Undyne, who are already heading down. Asgore gives you a sidelong glance before turning away as well.    
  
“...You sound familiar.” Toriel comments to the other skeleton, “Do I know you?”   
  
“do you talk to any monster that knocks on your door?” Sans replies, raising a brow, “and here i thought i was a special case.”   
  
“Oh!” She exclaims, blushing. “You are the one! I should have known! My apologies-”   
  
“it’s sans. sans the skeleton.” He introduces himself.    
  
“Well, it’s a pleasure to formally meet you.” Toriel bows her head. “Please, forgive me for not realizing sooner.”   
  
“already done.” Sans strolls towards her, “it’s also kinda understandable. it’s been quite the barrier-shattering event.”   
  
“No bones about it.” The queen giggles. Sans laughs along with her. “Please, walk with me.” The two eventually disappear from view, leaving you and Frisk alone.   
  
“Frisk…” You sigh, “What now, kid?”   
  
“Well, like I said before… It doesn’t matter what happens now.” Frisk says, “Whatever happens… If I have to go back to the group home, or whatever, I’ll eventually find my way back. And there’s always phone calls, and the internet…” They don’t sound very confident, but you admire their bravery despite facing the unknown. You wrap an arm around their shoulders.   
  
“True.” You muse, “We’ll just take it one day at a time.” The child hums and leans against you. “But… I have to ask. What happened to Flowey?”   
  
“Bones…” They are silent for a few seconds. “Do you know the story of the first fallen human?”   
  
“Yeah. They died?” You think hard. “Asgore told me… when the human child died, his son took their SOUL and went through the barrier. They got attacked, and came back to die.”   
  
“Yeah.” They then ask, “You know Ebott’s city flower?”   
  
“The golden ones?”    
  
“They were the human’s favorite. Before they died, they wanted to see them. And they did. Back underground, where they collapsed… they brought back pollen from those flowers. That’s how Asgore has them in his throne room. Somehow, they managed to grow.” That… explains a lot about Asgore’s gardening choices.   
  
“Did you read a lot of Alphys’ notes, on how she experimented with determination?” Frisk is going somewhere with this, you’re sure. And you have a feeling you know what that is.   
  
“...Yeah.” You cautiously say.   
  
“She used some on the flowers that grew. And, well… you know monsters turn to dust when they die. And how hard it might be, to get all of it out of the dirt?”   
  
“So, the prince’s dust…” You close your eyes, “Oh, Alphys…”   
  
“They intermingled with the flowers. And when Alphys injected determination into one…”   
  
“Flowey is the dead prince.” You whisper, “I… figured there was more to him. Especially after I found the room in Alhpys’ lab, with all those flowers. But I didn’t want to think about it. What he must have went through.”   
  
“In the throne room, Flowey absorbed the human SOULs, then took all the monster ones in the underground.” Frisk shakes their head, “I guess that gave him enough power to destroy the barrier.”   
  
“So where is he now?” You ask, “Is he dead?”   
  
“No, but he might be worse than that.” They blink away tears, “With all those SOULs, Flowey was able to regain what he was before: Asriel. But, now that he’s released all the SOULs, he’s going to become Flowey again. And he doesn’t want to reveal himself to his parents. It would only hurt them when they finally realize that… that Flowey can’t be their son anymore.”   
  
“Why not?” You don’t understand.   
  
“Remember when you thought I was the one without a SOUL?” They manage to smirk when you turn your face to hide a blush.   
  
“Kid, don’t remind me.” You groan, and they laugh.   
  
“Flowey doesn’t have one, so he can’t be saved like everyone else.” Biting their lip, they shyly meet your gaze. “That’s why… I kept resetting. I wanted to find a way to save everybody, including Flowey. But then that lead me down a dangerous path, where I was becoming just like him. And that’s why I wanted to get rid of the power I have over the underground. No one should be able to do what he and I did.”   
  
“I… I think I understand why you kept resetting. It must be impossible to resist, being able to start over and fix your mistakes.” You comment, “Being able to find a better way… Damn.”   
  
“This time, though… I promised Asriel that there would be no more resets. And that I would stop trying to convince him to come up here with us.” Frisk says, “And that’s just what I’ll do. We said our goodbyes. It’s time to move on.”   
  
You ruffle their hair. “You did good.”    
  
“Thanks.” They sadly smile, “Hey, you think you can tie my hair back before we head out? I like the way you do it better.”   
  
As you carefully rebraid, you comment, “So, I’m thinking I have to bring up the whole ‘monsters are on the surface thing’ before we actually get to the city, or things are just going to be awkward.”   
  
“Probably.” They agree.   
  
“But I don’t know how…” You frown, “And Sans was no help earlier. He just said that everything’s going to be fine.”   
  
“I have an idea.” Frisk slowly says, “Just play along, ‘kay?”   
  
“‘kay.” You sigh. At least someone has an idea. Whether or not it’s a good one… well. You’ll eventually find out.   
  
The two of you meet up with the rest of the group several minutes later. As of now, the sun is high in the sky. Everything seems brighter and cheerier. It’s a stark contrast to the pitch black darkness you remember fleeing through.    
  
“It’s not that long of a walk to the highway.” Frisk says, “And from there we can reach the city in no time at all.” Everybody nods like they understand, and so you and Frisk lead the group away from the mountain.   
  
“So, like where do you live? Are you gonna show us your place?” Undyne asks.   
  
“I don’t really live anywhere.” They reply, “But I used to stay with a bunch of other kids in this big house. It’s kinda nice, but crowded.”   
  
“H-how come?” Alphys asks.   
  
“Cuz I don’t have parents, or family. And when that happens, you go and live with other kids that don’t have ‘em either.” Frisk shrugs, “I haven’t been in Ebott long.”   
  
“I’m sorry, child.” Toriel mournfully says, “No one should have to live without a family to care for them.”   
  
“It’s fine.” They insist. “I have Bones, Sans, and Papyrus, and all of you guys too! It’s a lot more than I’ve ever hoped for.”   
  
“Tell me, what is Ebott like?” The queen carefully changes the subject, still looking rather pained at the thought of orphaned children.   
  
“It’s a big city, so it has a little bit of everything!” Frisk replies, “A lot of the other kids like to go over to this old apartment complex, right? No one really lives there anymore except for old humans. They’ll give us free food and stuff if we listen to their stories.”   
  
Without thinking much about it, you comment, “Are you talking about the one with that really ugly statue in the middle of the front yard?”   
  
“Yeah!” Frisk turns at you, smirking. You cringe when you realize what you’ve done. “So I guess it must have been there for a while, right? There’s this one guy, he said that the thing’s haunted by the lady who made it.”   
  
Undyne’s giving you a strange look. You sigh, but roll with it. “That rumor’s been around for ages.”   
  
“There’s a big crack down the middle of it now.” They’re holding back laughter, “You’ll never believe how it got there!”   
  
“Frisk, that… That isn’t fair.” You moan.   
  
“How did it get there?” Asgore asks.   
  
“Some miscreant shoved a firecracker up it’s-”   
  
“Okay! That’s enough of that!” You loudly exclaim. People are still talking about that?   
  
“They tried gluing everything back together, but sometimes it’s hard to repair old things like that. There’s this big strip mall too. They sell everything there! Clothes, electronics, books…” They trail off.   
  
“And anime?!” Alphys shouts, looking eager.   
  
“What’s anime?” Asgore asks, looking confused.   
  
“Yeah! That too!” Frisk enthusiastically nods. “And there’s a really nice cafe on main street. It’s owned by a young couple. I met them once. I also met a really nice guy there who likes to tell old urban legends to the kids. As a matter of fact, he’s kinda the first person the other kids really wanted me to meet.”   
  
You raise a brow at this. “You don’t say.”   
  
“Mhm. I don’t think he realizes how much everybody really likes him. And it’s kinda hard to get close to him, but once you do…” They shrug. You self consciously cross your arms over your chest. Are they really going there?   
  
“THEN YOU MUST INTRODUCE US, THEN!” Papyrus says, “IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE NEW FRIENDS.”   
  
“Definitely! But I think he’s kinda shy, so you’re going to have to be careful.” Frisk snickers. You glare and kick some leaves at them.    
  
“Soo…” Undyne whispers menacingly, eye glinting towards your general direction, “What sort of urban legends did he tell you?”   
  
“There’s an old tale about Mt. Ebott.” They answer, “About an angry ghost that lives up there and captures people that wanders into its territory. I guess that’s why so few humans actually go up there in the first place.”   
  
That… That little shit.   
  
“That’s not how it goes and they know it.” You angrily mutter under your breath. Sans gives you an amused glance.    
  
And that’s how most of the walk is spent- Frisk talking about Ebott just enough to be truthful, but also wrong enough that you’d sometimes interject or correct them. Sometime during all of this, Sans and Papyrus caught on to what they are doing and started playing along as well. But, much to their frustration, no one else is getting the hints except for Undyne. For whatever reason, the fish monster is doing nothing more than giving the two of you suspicious looks.   
  
By the time you reach the highway, it’s almost noon, and you’re greeted by the sight of an empty road.    
  
“Strange.” You mutter to Frisk, who nods in agreement. “Wonder where everyone is…” You’re interrupted by a police car speeding by, which abruptly stops, then slowly backs up until it’s directly across from your group. The passenger side opens, and a familiar looking human steps out. And from the driver’s side, a familiar looking cat monster also exits the vehicle.   
  
“I thought everyone else is still underground.” Undyne mutters, the gears in her head turning.   
  
“They are.” Asgore replies, looking equally as perplexed.    
  
“Is everyone alright?” The human officer asks, “No one’s supposed to be out here right now, the entire damn stretch of road is closed!”   
  
“W-why?” You stammer, mind racing. Why does this human look so familiar?!   
  
“A huge surplus of magic was detected coming from the mountain.” The cat drawls, “And just where the hell have you been, Bones? People been sayin’ you’ve been dusted. There are missing posters everywhere in town!”   
  
“Bones?” The human studies you for quite a while before realization dawns upon him. “Dios mio, is that really you?!”   
  
You can feel the others staring at you, and you know you’re going to have to answer a whole lot of questions later. But as of right now… a memory’s stirring. Sure, this human’s hair is halfway gone, his skin has quite a few wrinkles, and he seems to have gained a lot of weight, but other than that…   
  
“Al?!” You exclaim, eye sockets widening.   
  
“That’s Alvaro, jackass!” He shouts. Without another word he stomps over to you.   
  
In the corner of your eye, you see the rest of the monsters tensing. You know they were plenty prepared to meet with aggressive humans, and the way the old man’s stomping seems to convey that he’s mad, but…   
  
You know this man. And while he is  _ totally  _ angry with you right now, you also know he wouldn’t harm a fly. So you offer him a chuckle and meet him halfway. His arms open wide and you find yourself engulfed by an angry spanish man. He shakes you side by side, muttering what’s no doubt curses under his breath.   
  
“You know, I come back here after nearly a decade working on the other side of the country, and you know what happens? I find out you’re gone! Without a trace! What in the hell happened to you, boy?!” Alvaro shouts.   
  
“What the hell happened to me?” You gasp, laughing, “What the hell happened to your hair?!”   
  
“I got old!” He gruffly replies, letting you go. “And you… look at you! All grown up!”   
  
“You, uh, know Bones?” The feline officer faintly asks, looking petrified at the sight of the king.    
  
“Know him?!” Alvaro snorts, “I used to  _ arrest  _ him all the time back in the day!”   
  
“Ooooh.” Undyne says to herself. You can see she’s finally connected the dots.   
  
“Well, then…” The cat monster manages to tear his eyes away from Asgore and spots Frisk. “Well, would you look at that. Two missing persons right here. Uh, Bones? Mind stepping over here?”   
  
Asgore takes a step towards the car, but you glance over and give him a pleading look. He seems to get what you’re asking, so he nods. You and Alvaro join the other officer in the middle of the road.   
  
“Is there a reason that monster over there looks like every portrait of the king we’ve seen from our textbooks?” He hisses.   
  
“You’re… You’re not going to believe this…” You helplessly laugh. “But, well- you know the story of the mountain king, right?”   
  
“Everyone in this damn city does.” Your old friend grumps.   
  
“Well then…” You lean forward, “Here’s what really happened…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I actually managed to get them out of the underground. And that, technically, I finished a story arc! Wow. More to come soon, though I am taking some time off and going on a vacation, so...


	51. Some News (An Update But Not a Chapter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life sucks.

So I took two weeks off. Came home, started working on the next chapter, went back to work, etc. Life resumed as normal. But one morning I woke up in a shit ton of pain and went to the hospital. Turns out kidney stones are a bitch, and this one was large enough to fuck with my kidney. Had some stuff done, still in pain but out of the danger zone. Set to have this thing removed in the upcoming week.

And then.

AND THEN.

Did I ever mention I live in Florida?

In, uh.

South Florida.

SO.

The past week was me and the family preparing the house and getting supplies. We're set on that, at least. With our situation, there's no way we could've evacuated. Keep in mind, we're not ACTUALLY in an evacuation zone. Irma's just plain ol' dangerous no matter where you are here though. 

An update for this fic will come. I have not lost interest. But my current situation has me unable to actually concentrate on getting it out. Just wanted to let my long term readers know.

 

Wish us luck, and I hope my fellow Floridians stay safe out there!


	52. Runts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot can change in a short period of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Things are calming back down. No major damage, but a whole lot of cleaning up had to be done! I'm just now getting back into the swing of things. Thank you everyone for your well wishes. I truly feel lucky that we didn't get it as bad as it could have been.

The candy dish is full of runts- those small, hard candies that are shaped like fruit. A classic, old, and relatively cheap candy that is favored by most social workers. You’ve never tried them yourself, but most of your foster siblings agreed that they were terrible. You assume it’s less because of how they actually taste and more by their association. Everybody absolutely hated meeting with their social worker. At best, they were overwhelmingly cheerful and pushy. At their worst, they were apathetic and lazy. At times. maliciously so.  
  
But you are an adult now, you have to remind yourself. They have no power over where you go anymore. They haven’t for years. There’s no need to feel so… nervous. As a matter of fact, Frisk should be the one worrying. But here they are, seated next to you, earbuds on and listening to Mettaton’s latest album like they haven’t a care in the world.  
  
It’s only been a few days since the barrier was broken. That’s not much time at all, when you look at it objectively, but it feels like an eternity passed. Soon after explaining everything to Alvaro, he had to get into contact with the proper authorities. After that, well…  
  
You and Frisk were pretty much pulled away from your friends to be questioned by person after person, all wearing black suits and stern expressions. All asking the same damn questions over and over again. What happened down there. Why were you two gone for so long. How did you get out. Were they holding you against their will. Are you holding back any important information.  
  
Of course, you kept your answers to a minimum, and only gave positive information about the society that basically took you in and gave you a family. Frisk must have done the same, because it wasn’t long before the two of you reunited with the others. You’ve heard that Asgore had to speak with a few officials for a length of time as well, but when you asked about it he said he wasn’t at liberty to tell you what was discussed. That some things were decided to be kept ‘under wraps’ in order to keep peace between the underground and the surface.  
  
You have a feeling it’s about the tiny coffins the king has in his basement.  
  
Once all that was done, the news became public. All of a sudden you’re seeing your face in the papers and all of Ebott knows who you are. Which, well, not a big deal, right? Everyone in the city pretty much knew you as that homeless monster that wandered the streets. But now they know you as something different.  
  
Bones the homeless skeleton became Bones, a close friend of royalty. Bones, the one who went to the bank the other day to convert his gold and now doesn’t have to worry about anything for the rest of his life. Bones, the local celebrity.  
  
Bones, the monster who wants to adopt the child who dragged him into the underground.  
  
You never thought you’d miss being just Bones.  
  
And now you find yourself in this small office, mindlessly staring at the empty desk in front of you. It’s like all the other ones you’ve been to throughout your adolescence, down to the homemade thank you cards drawn in crayon that are taped to the wall and the shelves decorated by mountains of textbooks and college diplomas.     
  
You uncomfortably shift in your seat. It’s one of those small, plastic things one might see in elementary schools. This place makes you feel like a babybones again, and that’s never a good thing. Frowning, you lean forward to grab one of the candies. It’s the banana shaped one. You fiddle with it for a few moments, but aren’t tempted to try it just yet. You’re not that anxious.  
  
Your movements must catch the kid’s attention, as Frisk turns their head, then silently offers you an earbud. When you press it against your ear canal, the robot’s sultry voice blasts _“If I was you, I’d wanna be me too, I’d wanna be me too-”._ Shuddering, you give the earbud back. No thanks.  
  
“Where is she?” You mutter. It’s been, what? Twenty minutes? Didn’t they say she’d be right with you guys? Shit, what’s her name again? It began with an ‘A’, right? Allie? Angela? You squint at one of the diplomas, trying to make out a name from the tiny text.  
  
“At least we aren’t still in that waiting room.” Frisk says, patting your shoulder. They stuff the earbud back into their free ear. Soon after they’re humming along with the song. You have a feeling you should probably tell them to turn that music down- it’s a bit loud, and you can almost make out Mettaton’s words. That can’t be good for their ears. But you don’t have the right to tell the kid anything. Not right now, at least. It feels wrong to act like a guardian up here on the surface.  
  
...Hell. Even if things go your way, it’s always going to be really weird acting the part of responsible parent. Not for the first time, you wonder if you’re really up for this. With a soft groan, you slump back against the old plastic chair. It feebly creaks against your weight.  
  
Frisk is right, you have to admit. The waiting room wasn’t very full, but the few adults you saw looked… stressed. Some had those bags under their eyes from many sleepless nights, and they had papers clutched in their hands, frantically going over them over and over again. Making sure they filled everything out right. Others stared blankly ahead, hands clasped on their laps. A few children were sitting near the play area, mindlessly stacking old brick legoes together. None of them were monsters, except for you. Normally, that would make an awkward scene, but no one paid you any mind.  
  
Monsters tend to handle family affairs in a very different way than humans. Adoption is usually done privately, and in cases of abuse… Let’s just say you and Impact made a very unique case. From what you recall, the Monster Social Services had no idea how to handle you, especially since they couldn’t track down any surviving relatives. They quickly let the more experienced humans take over after that.  
  
The fact that this office has to be open, today of all days… it’s depressing. New Year’s Eve should be a day spent together with family and friends. And yet, here you are. Just you and Frisk. Sans and Papyrus… hell, even Gaster. They should be here, at least. They wanted to be. But they have things to take care of, like getting their official papers. A lot of paperwork needs to be filed before they’re officially considered ‘legal’ residents of the city.  
  
The door slams open and you jump. The candy banana falls to the ground as a frazzled redhead wearing a conservative, but lovely dress, hurries in carrying a large file. She gives you a big smile and pats Frisk on the head. The child looks up, startled, before carefully masking their face into a blank expression. It’s a look that you haven’t seen since you first met the kid at the cafe. You can’t say that you like it. They stuff the music player into their bag as the woman sits at her desk. Sighing deeply, she plops the file down.  
  
“So sorry to keep you two waiting!” She chirps, “I know you two must be eager to join in on the festivities. The fireworks display is going to be amazing tonight! We’re just going to need a few signatures and you’ll be on your way.”  
  
“Wait!” You yelp, eye sockets widening, “Uh, Abby?”  
  
“I prefer Abigail.” She replies. Close enough.  
  
“What am I signing?” You ask, and she gives you an exasperated look.  
  
“Just a few things we need before you officially gain custody of Frisk.” She explains slowly, as if talking to a particularly dim child.  
  
“What?” You ask, stunned. “But… shouldn’t there be a court case or something? A judge? Lawyers?”  
  
“This is a civil matter, Mr. Bones. No need for a grand, public display.” Abigail snorts, shaking her head. “Though, in all honesty, without these references, we would have probably rejected your application.” She pats the file reverently.  
  
“References?” You mindlessly repeat. Frisk reaches forward and tugs the file towards themself. Abigail lets them, and they eagerly flip through the papers.  
  
“Looks like all of Snowdin sent a letter!” They exclaim, a wide grin spreading across their face.  
  
“The sheer volume of them was very… overwhelming. And all in your favor.” The social worker looks gleeful at this.  
  
Frisk digs their elbow against your side. You glare down at them. “Asgore sent one too.” They give you a smug look. You look away, fighting off a blush.  
  
“On a first name basis, are we?” Abigail observes, smirking. “Yes, the king’s letter was a major deciding factor. No one wants to disappoint him, after all.”  
  
Right. You’ve forgotten this country’s obsession with royalty.  
  
“And, well, you do have quite the income, and a steady job…” She trails off, shrugging. “So, signatures please?”  
  
As you numbly begin signing, Frisk tugs at your sleeve. “Gotta go to the bathroom.” They whisper. You can hear the strain in their voice.  
  
“Just down the hall and to your left, sweetie.” Abigail says, and off they go. The door slams behind them and you both wince. “I really need to get around fixing that damn door.”  
  
“Is there anything else?” You hastily ask, already halfway out of your seat. “I need to make sure Frisk is okay.”  
  
“Yes.” Abigail gives an understanding smile. “This isn’t the first time a child became overwhelmed by such a big change. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” She stands up too, and circles around the desk to meet you at the door.  
  
“Thanks.” You say, pausing when she lays a hand on your upper arm.  
  
“Once you have your new address, be sure to send that over to the office.” She firmly instructs. Then, squeezing a bit harder, she emphasizes, “Don’t mess this up. Very few monster-human adoptions go through so easily like this. Everyone will be keeping a close eye on the two of you from now on.”  
  
“You have such faith in me.” You jokingly respond, trying to avoid looking at the scary expression on her face.  
  
“Yes, but do you?” She swiftly responds, eyes hardening.  
  
“Of course!” You almost shout, and your voice is embarrassingly high, but the social worker seems satisfied by your response.  
  
Frisk is standing next to the bathrooms when you finally catch up to them. They are clutching their bookbag to their chest, eyes looking down and their expression still so carefully blank.  
  
“Would you stop making that face.” You complain. Frisk takes a deep, shuddering breath before looking up at you.  
  
“Can’t help it.” They whisper, “I mean, I know I’m talkative and stuff with you and the others, but being up here again. It does things to me. Falling back into bad habits.”  
  
“You mean that selective mutism thing your file mentioned?” You guess, and they nod.  
  
“You read that whole thing, huh.” They seem resigned, “And you still went ahead with adopting me?”  
  
“Sans and Papyrus found out I’m a petty thief that had their magic tampered with by his dead uncle, and they still adopted _me.”_ You feel the need to point out, and they crack a smile. “Besides, your file was like a page long, and I have a feeling half of it is crap. You’re just going to have to tell me what’s true or not later on, ‘kay?”  
  
“‘kay.” They nod, wiping their eyes. That blank look is almost gone, you see, but they’re still not acting like their usual self. What might snap them out of it?  
  
An idea comes to you, and your SOUL nervously flutters at the thought of it. But if you can trust Sans, surely you can trust Frisk too?  
  
“So, uh…” You trail off, rubbing the back of your skull. Frisk gives you a curious look. “I promised myself, a while ago, that… Well. If I truly trusted someone…”  
  
“Yeah?” They seem very eager all of a sudden. You cough into your fist, not sure how to proceed.  
  
“We’re family now, I guess.” You mumble, “So, it’s only fair if you knew…”  
  
They squeal, and all of a sudden you know that they know where you’re going with this. Still, the excitement on their face is adorable and humbling all at once. Like when you did it with Sans. The sheer happiness that you’re choosing to share something like this with them… It makes you feel precious and valued.  
  
“My real name’s Courier.” You finally finish, “There, I said it. Now, uh, let’s go ba-ACK!” Frisk tackles you in a hug. You stumble back, and for a split second you think you’re about to fall, but you regain your balance and hug them back. The two of you stay that way for a little while, and you have a feeling that you’ll never really get tired of this. Hugs are just… fantastic, and you have years to make up for not getting enough of them.  
  
“Can we go home now?” Frisk’s voice is muffled against the fabric of your sweater. They can’t see you, but you nod anyway.  
  
“Yeah. We should probably see if anyone needs any help packing.” Moving to the surface is a lot of work, but most monsters are content bringing up the bare essentials, like family heirlooms and clothing. Even Papyrus, as much as he pouted, made the decision to leave his bed in the underground.  
  
“I was thinking more like showing Sans and Papyrus the fireworks.” They suggest.  
  
“We have a ways to go before midnight.” You sigh, checking your phone. It’s not even five yet. “Let’s get going.”  
  
“Bones!” Abigail appears from around the corner and speed walks towards you. “It, um, might be prudent to take the back entrance!”  
  
“What’s going on?” You ask, shifting uneasily. Frisk clutches your hand and turns their head to look at the social worker.  
  
“There appears to be members of the press waiting for you outside.” She doesn’t look very pleased by this, and you certainly aren’t. There’s been a lot of requests, some polite and some not-so-polite, for you to do interviews. You’ve been doing a good job of avoiding it, but their determination only grows as the days go by. Every part of you is screaming to run away as fast as possible. But even if you take the back entrance, what says that they aren’t going to see you anyway? “I suppose this is a big story, considering who the two of you are, but what nerve!”  
  
As you try to figure out what to do, Frisk pulls out their phone and dials a number. It rings precisely three times before someone picks up, and you can feel yourself calming down when you recognize Sans’ low voice coming from the speakers. “Can you pick us up?” They ask, and you almost slap yourself for not thinking of it first. He can teleport you guys back! Sans must have agreed, because the child gives him a soft “Thanks” and hangs up.  
  
“Good thinking.” You compliment them, “I forgot that he could…”  
  
“Yeah. Sometimes I do, too.”  
  
The human woman remains silent, looking from you to Frisk. Perhaps she is waiting for some sort of explanation, but you’re not about to provide one. You’re still slightly unnerved by her words- Everyone will be keeping a close eye on you now. You’ve spent an entire lifetime staying under the radar, and now that you’re getting so much attention… you don’t know how to deal with it.  
  
“uh, i’m here to pick up a few packages?” Sans pops up behind Abigail, hands in his pockets and putting on an air like he’s been here the entire time. The woman lets out a short, startled, scream. Turning to spot the shorter skeleton, she sputters in surprise. “one of ‘em needs a haircut and the other is a bit too fond of the color purple?”  
  
“Sans!” Frisk shouts, self consciously tugging at the end of their braid. Meanwhile. you frown down at your sweater.  
  
“hey, never said they didn’t look good on you.” Sans sighs, rubbing the back of his skull. “heh. sorry. just a little rattled today.”  
  
“Is everything okay?” You cautiously ask.  
  
“yeah. got everything done. we’re all set.” He avoids your questioning gaze, electing to give Frisk a wink instead. “ready to head back?”  
  
Frisk frantically nods as you elect to give Sans a thumbs up. Stepping forward, the shorter skeleton takes hold of your wrist and slings an arm around the child’s shoulders. Looking back at Abigail, you mutter a quick “Thanks for warning us.” and then the three of you begin walking.  
  
As always when it comes to Sans’ magic, one moment you’re walking down the hall, and in the next you find yourself standing in front of Grillby’s bar.    
  
“Mind telling me what that was all about?” You ask as Frisk runs through the door.  
  
“it’s nothing. really.” Sans insists. Before you can ask anything else, he pushes you towards the entrance. Rolling your eyes in defeat, you tug open the door and take a step inside.  
  
And the scene before you leaves you speechless. It seems that all of Snowdin is here, crowding Grillby’s bar, and they’re all there for you and Frisk. Banners, balloons, and streamers decorate the cozy restaurant, all colored pink or blue. Most had the words “Congratulations!” on them, but you can spot a few with “It’s A Boy” or “It’s A Girl”, with the genders crossed out and replaced with “It’s a Human!” in marker. All of them seem to be in Papyrus’ handwriting.  
  
A few monsters manage to spot you, and a victorious cheer rings throughout the building. The other patrons join in on this, turning to greet you with wide, energetic smiles. You stand there dumbfounded.  
  
“we wanted to surprise you.” Sans says, stepping up besides you.  
  
“Well, that was a success. But how did you guys know everything would turn out alright? What if I didn’t get Frisk?” You can’t help but ask.  
  
“the only ones who had any doubt were you and frisk.” He shrugs, “though g and i did come up with a plan to kidnap you two if anything went wrong.”  
  
“Sans!” You admonish, a slightly hysterical laugh escaping you.  
  
“can it.” He sternly replies, “grillbz and papyrus already lectured us enough about that. hey, looks like your favorite innkeeper wants a word with you.”  
  
You follow his gaze to see Mopsy standing a few feet away, looking a little reluctant to approach. Sans gives you another nudge, and you nervously approach the rabbit monster.  
  
“Mopsy! Hi!” You stammer, self consciously rubbing the back of your neck. Since getting out of the mountain, you haven’t had the chance to talk with her. Or anyone else really. You were mostly occupied with Frisk.  
  
“Is everything alright now, Bones?” She asks.  
  
“It’s getting there.” In a softer voice, you add, “Still kind of terrified about… everything.”  
  
“Everybody is.” Mopsy looks around the bar, “I think that’s why most of us are still down here. Sure, once everything’s sorted, the underground will go empty. But right now? I think we all want to cling to familiar things.”  
  
“I think Sans is already house hunting.” You mutter, “He mentioned a few places with top rated schools.” You mainly ignored him, not wanting to get your hopes up. But now that things are a bit more official, you might have to ask him if he finally narrowed his search down to a few places. The last time you checked, he had ten pages full of addresses.  
  
“... I may ask him about those later.” The rabbit gives you a small smile at the shocked look on your face. “Yes, yes. I know we don’t get along well, but I’ve seen how he interacts with Frisk. You managed to find a good support system. I’m very happy for you, Bones.”  
  
“Eh, well…” You look down at your feet, “I don’t think I’d have gotten so far without your help too. Have I ever thanked you for taking me in when I first got here?”  
  
“Only about a thousand times.” She laughs, eyes twinkling. “And, now that I know where you really came from, it kind of makes sense how quickly I warmed up to you.”  
  
“Hm?” You watch as she fiddles with her paws.  
  
“I also always wondered why Sans was so protective of you. Even when you didn’t live with him, he was always nearby. He knew, or at the very least, suspected, that you weren’t from the underground. Am I right?” She gives you a knowing look. “When we were first trapped down here, many monsters fell. Did you know that? Not from any physical injuries, mind you. They died from despair. The very thought that they would never see the sun again… that thought destroyed many lives. And especially for those without a proper family, or support system.”  
  
“Oh.” You didn’t know that.  
  
“Sooner or later, I suspect you would have fallen into despair as well.” Mopsy sadly continues. “I think that’s why… Subconsciously on my end, deliberately on his- we both wanted to protect you.”  
  
You close your eye sockets. “Jeez.” You hoarsely laugh, recalling that heavy weight on your bones whenever you woke up alone at the inn. So despair is what they call that feeling.  
  
“Anyway, I just wanted to say- Congratulations!” She gives you a small hug and a peck on the cheek. “And I’ll see you around, okay?”  
  
“Okay.” Out of the corner of your eye you see Undyne waving you over with a mischievous grin on her face. Alphys is standing next to her, giggling into her phone. “Well, looks like I’m being summoned.”  
  
“Go on, then.” She urges, “I need to wrap up a few things anyway.”  
  
“YOU MISSED THE MOST AWESOME THING!” Undyne bursts out as soon as you join her. She waves a half full bottle of soda to emphasize her excitement.  
  
“It.. It was something else.” Alphys agrees, giving you a weak grin. “C-congratulations, by the way! We knew it w-would be fine in the end!”  
  
“What’d I miss?” You warily look from one to the other.  
  
“So, you know how we had to wait around for a while for all our papers to go through, right?” When you nod, Undyne continues, “And, well, monsters like me, Alphys, Sans, Papyrus… we’re all on the fast track! Mostly ‘cause we work directly with the king, y’know?”  
  
“Right.” You say when she pauses.  
  
“So, Grillby and Papyrus were waiting for theirs, but since Grillby doesn’t actually work for Asgore- the people there said that he’d have to wait LONGER.” Undyne scowls, “Totally unfair, but I guess they have to prioritize!”  
  
“E-except!” Alphys squeals, “Papyrus asked if s-spouses counted towards the f-fast track, and when it turned out that they did...!”  
  
“Oh my god.” You whisper, eye sockets widening. You have a feeling you know where this is going.  
  
“He CALLED GRILLBY HIS FIANCE!” Undyne giddily yells.  
  
“Sans looked like he was about to faint!” Alphys bursts out.  
  
“Grillby fainted!” Undyne says at the same time.  
  
“They’re engaged.” You whisper, covering your mouth.  
  
“Papyrus totally put a ring on it- WITHOUT even having a ring!” Undyne cackles, “He’s the smoothest skeleton I know! Uh- no offense.”  
  
“None taken.” You shakily reply. “So that’s why Sans was acting so weird?”  
  
“H-he may still be in shock.” Alphys agrees, “It might be so weird for the poor guy, you know? J-just a few months ago, it was just him and Papyrus, and n-now!”  
  
“He’s going to have a full house from now on!” Undyne finishes, draining the last of her drink. She makes a face. “This stuff is so sugary!”  
  
“Y-you didn’t have to drink it all.” The royal scientist scolds her.  
  
“But I paid money for it!”  
  
As the two begin to playfully argue, you wander towards the bar. You can see Grillby behind the counter, quietly chatting with Papyrus, who is perched on one of the barstools. Might as well congratulate the two of them, right?  
  
“So I heard something exciting happened today.” You comment, taking the seat to the right of the taller skeleton. Grillby sighs, smoke exiting where you figure his nose and mouth would be, before turning to rummage through the shelves behind him.  
  
“YOU’VE HEARD ALREADY?” Papyrus beams. “I ADMIT, IT DIDN’T GO EXACTLY HOW I WANTED IT TO BE. I WAS IMAGINING A LOT MORE ROSES AND JOYFUL TEARS.”  
  
“Congratulations, anyway.” You say, nodding towards Grillby. The fire elemental places a drink in front of you and nods back. It looks like a plain soda, but upon sipping it, you realize it’s been spiked with rum. Hmm. Looks like the bartender’s already starting with the surface drinks.  
  
_I would have preferred a more private affair… but I do not regret it._  
  
“The two of you aren’t worried that it’s… too soon?” You ask, “Usually, people date for a lot longer before talking marriage.”  
  
_In the underground, we do not take our time when it comes to romance._ Grillby informs you. _If we know who we want to be with… why wait?_  
  
“BESIDES!” Papyrus flippantly remarks, “OUR ENGAGEMENT WILL TAKE AT LEAST A YEAR! WHAT WITH THIS WHOLE BEING ON THE SURFACE THING STILL GOING ON, THERE’S A WHOLE CHECKLIST WE NEED TO GO THROUGH!”  
  
_Wedding venues on the surface need to be booked months in advance, even._ Grillby seems amused by this. _And while I’m not picky with the location, as long as it’s not on the beach, Papyrus has some preference-_  
  
“I HEAR THAT COSTUMED HUMANS CAN MARRY YOU!” Papyrus eagerly explains. You have to choke down the liquid that’s already in your mouth before you can start laughing.  
  
“Y-yeah, Papyrus. There are.” You sincerely hope he doesn’t hire a clown or Elvis impersonator. “Hey, is that Gaster over there? Let me go say hi.”  
  
Gaster is sitting at one of the booths, his large frame making him look like an adult sitting at a children’s table. There’s a half drunk glass of wine resting in front of him. You slide into the seat opposite of him, rum and coke still in your hand. He raises a brow at you. You raise a brow at him. Sighing, he raises his glass and you clink your drink against his.  
  
“It appears you are a father now.” He rasps, face neutral.  
  
“Yup.”  
  
“I congratulate you.” Gaster hesitates before briefly clasing your shoulder with one hand. “It’s… quite the responsibility, but we will help where we can.”  
  
“Thanks.” You smile at his awkwardness. It’s kind of adorable.  
  
“I am in need of your opinion.” The ex-royal scientist abruptly changes the subject. “I have been approached by a prestigious research facility situated in a place called Oasis. While I did do some research of the area, I am uncertain how much of what I read is fact, and what is… elaborated.”  
  
“Oasis, huh?” You thoughtfully hum, “It’s one of the oldest, and biggest, monster populated cities in the world. It’s also… quite a long plane ride away from here. Founded by a skeleton tribe, maybe a century after the war. Legend says they wandered the desert for forty days and nights before stumbling upon an oasis, and they decided to settle there. Probably named it in honor of Asgore.” The king is really terrible at naming things, after all.  
  
“Yes, yes. I know the basics.” He flippantly waves a hand, “Dr. Alphys was offered the same position as well, but she already rejected the offer. Something about her lover being unable to stand the heat. Considering that I spent most of my years in this reality working on the CORE, I have no qualms about hot weather.”  
  
“Okay, well… From what I’ve heard, most of the city center is dedicated to all kinds of sciences, and they are very careful to keep things such as politics or religion out of their fields while still keeping a strict moral code. A lot of medical discoveries were made there- vaccines that basically drove some diseases into extinction.” Gaster practically squirms in his seat at your words. “You really want to take them up on their offer.” You realize, “So what’s stopping you?”  
  
“My sons- Sans and Papyrus.” Gaster makes a face at his slip of the tongue. “So odd. The more time I spend here, the easier it is to mistake a lie for the truth. But never mind that. I want to be certain that you will be there for them.”  
  
You give him a dubious look.  
  
“Do not give me that face.” He complains. “You are familiar with the surface and its dangers, and they are not. It is as simple as that.”  
  
“Would you like me to give you weekly reports on them as well?” You sarcastically ask.  
  
“Nonsense.” Gaster snorts, “Biweekly is more than enough for me.”  
  
You spend the next couple of hours alternating between mingling with everyone and stuffing your face with food and drink. Frisk, from what you’ve seen, is busy having fun and hamming it up with the other children. Every so often the two of you spend a few minutes catching up before your attention is drawn elsewhere, but that’s fine. The two of you have a lot of time to settle down later.  
  
It only occurs to you an hour before midnight that you haven’t seen Sans since he dropped you off at the restaurant. You bring this up to Papyrus, who looks a little worried, but assures you that, “MY BROTHER LIKES BEING ALONE SOMETIMES, BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHECK UP ON HIM, YOU MIGHT WANT TO HEAD TO THE SURFACE. SANS REALLY LIKES THE VIEW JUST OUTSIDE THE EXIT.”  
  
“I’ll go there now.” You sigh, “You guys should join us too. We should have a nice view of the fireworks from there.”  
  
“FIREWORKS?”  
  
“Yeah. They’re like… colorful explosions in the sky. We usually set them off on holidays.”  
  
“WOWIE! I’LL BE SURE TO GATHER THE OTHERS AND MEET YOU THERE!”  
  
You quickly find Frisk again. They are in the middle of a poker game with the canine unit, so you give them a quick explanation.  
  
“I’ll go up there with Papyrus.” They reply, “Hopefully Sans will cheer up soon.”  
  
Surprisingly enough, the river person is still taking passengers on their boat. Okay, well maybe it’s not so surprising. You can only assume that a lot of monsters will need their services to move all their families. As a matter of fact…  
  
“Shouldn’t there be more boats?” You ask as you are transported down the river, “You can’t possibly be taking everybody to the capital by yourself.”  
  
“Tralalala….” The river person giggles, “Who says I’ve ever been by my lonesome?”  
  
You have no response to that.  
  
You make your way through the hall of judgement and to the throne room. King Asgore and Queen Toriel are there, quietly conversing. You hesitate just outside the door, wondering if you should interrupt them, or just wait for them to be done.  
  
“The children were taken early this morning to be laid to rest.” You make out Asgore’s sorrowful words.  
  
“Good. And what of the counselors?” Toriel replies. Her tone is still cold, but atleast she’s being civil.  
  
“Starting tomorrow, there will be a few stationed here. Our people will be given guidance.” Softly sighing, Asgore asks, “And what of your plans, Tori?”  
  
“You have no right to address me in that manner.” She replies, “I will be enrolling myself in the local university. In order to run my own school, I will need the proper credentials. After that, we shall see.”  
  
“Toriel, do you still…” You close your eyes, wincing at the longing in the king’s words.  
  
“Damn it.” Toriel whispers, “You know the answer to that, Asgore.”  
  
“... I see. You know I will give you all the time that you desire.”  
  
“... Do not get your hopes up, Dreemur.”  
  
Before they can talk any further, you loudly knock on the door frame and step inside. “Excuse me, need to get some fresh air, hope I’m not interrupting anything!”  
  
Asgore chuckles as Toriel glares at you. “Bones! How did the meeting go today?”  
  
“I am now a single father, if that’s what you’re asking.” You casually inform the king, whose chuckle erupts into full blown laughter.  
  
“I am very happy for you!” You squeak as he pulls you into an enormous hug. He lifts you a few inches off the ground, squeezes, then gently places you back down. You try to take his affection as gracefully as possible- which isn’t saying much. You almost lose your balance before he lets you use his arm for stability.  
  
“What a grand day it must be for you.” Toriel says, her eyes softening. “You must have been very worried, these past few days. I am sure you and Frisk will be a wonderful family.”  
  
“Thank you.” You bow your head, “Are the two of you heading to the surface? There’ll be fireworks soon.”  
  
“Yes, we have been informed of this holiday’s significance.” Asgore nods, “I will be joining you shortly.”  
  
“As will I, and many other monsters too I am sure.” Toriel agrees.  
  
You leave the royal couple in the throne room and escape back to the surface. Cold, biting wind greets you and you have to bite back a whine at that. You’ve almost forgotten how much colder the nights are in Ebott. Hell, even Snowdin seems cozy compared to this! Still, you continue on.  
  
It’s very dark outside, even with the lampposts that are set up along the trail down the mountains. A few monsters are already outside, chatting amongst themselves. You can hear crickets loudly chirping in the background. Squinting into the darkness, you eventually spot Sans sitting cross legged against a large rock.  
  
The wind doesn’t seem to be effecting him at all, to your chagrin. He’s still only wearing that light blue jacket and shorts, though he did trade in his pink slippers for a pair of sneakers. Staring up at the sky, he doesn’t seem to notice your presence until you plop down next to him.  
  
“woah! hey there bud.” Sans greets you.  
  
“Hey.” You greet back, curling up next to him.  
  
The two of you sit in silence for a little while before the shorter skeleton speaks again. “this is all i’ve ever wanted, y’know.”  
  
“Hmm?”  
  
“being on the surface, seeing the stars, makin’ sure my bro is happy…” Sans sighs, “yet here i am, feeling all terrified.”  
  
“Sans…”  
  
“i don’t know what to do now.” He continues on, “paps is getting married, i’m sure you heard. pretty soon he’ll be starting a family and won’t need an old sack of bones like me around anymore. all my life’s been about providing for him, and now…”  
  
“Don’t you think you’re being kinda dramatic?” You ask, “Just because Papyrus is expanding his family doesn’t mean he has to… get rid of you or something dumb like that.”  
  
“i know that. but sometimes these thoughts just… ricochet around in my skull until i can’t concentrate on anything else.” Sadly, he adds, “i just don’t want to be cut out from his life.”  
  
“SANS!” Said skeleton jumps, but is picked up from the air by a fuming Papyrus. You watch, petrified, as the taller skeleton settles on the ground with a firm grip around his brother’s waist. He kind of looks like an angry toddler with a doll.  
  
“uh, hey paps.” Sans goes limp, seemingly accepting his fate.  
  
_Is that really why you’ve been acting so strange?_ Grillby approaches from your other side, arms crossed over his chest.  
  
“don’t you have a bar to run?” The trapped brother grudgingly asks.  
  
_I trust that my patrons know not to burn the place down._  
  
“THAT’S NOT THE POINT ANYWAY!” Papyrus sternly interjects, “WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THERE WILL BE ANY OF THIS ‘CUTTING’ YOU OUT. OF MY LIFE?!”  
  
“like i was telling bones.” Sans resignedly says, “it’s just a dumb fear.”  
  
Papyrus outright _growls_ at this and clutches his brother closer. “I HAVE BEEN NEGLECTING MY BROTHERLY DUTIES! THIS MUST BE RECTIFIED AT ONCE!”  
  
“oh my god.”  
  
“REST ASSURED, SANS: I VASTLY PREFER MY FAMILY TO ALL BE UNDER ONE ROOF THAN APART FROM EACH OTHER.” Papyrus bumps his jaw against the top of Sans’ head. “WE’RE JUST… GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A BIG ENOUGH HOUSE TO LIVE IN, THAT’S ALL.”  
  
“heh.” Sans relaxes even further now, making himself comfortable. “i think i have a few on the list. might have to convert the ballpit zone into an actual bedroom, but i won’t complain. much.”  
  
_Look._ Grillby gestures towards the city. _I think it might be starting._  
  
Everyone falls silent, and a few seconds later, the first burst of color explodes across the sky. Papyrus gasps at the sight, hands covering his jaw. Grillby settles down, leaning against Papyrus’ frame and throwing an arm across his shoulders.  
  
Frisk crawls into your lap a few minutes into the fireworks display, followed by Gaster leaning on the boulder behind you all.  
  
“Happy new year.” You whisper, nuzzling the top of Frisk’s head.  
  
Something’s missing.  
  
But what?  
  
  
  



	53. New Old Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones angsts about not angsting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to aim at updates going twice a month, but I missed the mark by two days, booo. And I know you guys are just waiting for the big "thing" to happen (your comments sustain me, btw. Sorry I don't reply much there, I'll try harder!) but I want a few things to fall into place first. Believe me, though, I've been hemming and hawing about how to do everything for... quite a while now. And hopefully the next chapter will be out much faster than this time!

“Behold, Frisk. A cop in his natural habitat.” You comment upon entering the cafe. Alvaro looks up and gives you a scowl. He’s sitting at a booth, a tower of donuts sitting on the plate in front of him. You vaguely recall this is one of this cafe’s specialties. It’s called The Leaning Tower of Pastries? Something like that. It’s not a very popular item, considering there’s not a convenient way of packaging half a dozen donuts standing on top of each other.   
  
It’s almost a week after new years, and life in the city has pretty much went back to normal. The decorations are gone, people are going back to their normal lives, and you and the others are renting a few rooms from a fairly ritzy hotel. If it were up to you, you’d still be in Snowdin, but Sans and the others pretty much dragged you out of the underground. Their reasoning was that the commute from the mountain to the city was starting to get annoying, especially since you all are still debating on a place to buy. With so many houses to look at, it’s just a better idea to be close. You hate that they’re right.   
  
The small cafe you’re in is just a few blocks away from said hotel, and coincidentally enough, it’s the very same one you had a drink at before meeting Frisk. It seems to be doing well for itself, with many college students taking up space with their laptops and cups of coffee that are probably hours old. Poor Alvaro looks pretty out of place here, especially with that suit and tie he’s got on. At least it’s not that old cop uniform you used to see him in all the time.  
  
“What took you two so long?” Alvaro asks, voice rough. Frisk hesitantly scoots closer to you, and with a pang in your SOUL you realize they really aren’t comfortable with their fellow humans, are they? You’ve never seen them look so uncertain underground. Your friend seems to have come to the same conclusion, as his features soften and he tries to soften his tone. “Hey there, kid. Remember me?”  
  
“Yeah.” Frisk hesitates, but scrambles into a seat when you give them a slight nudge. “You knew Bones when he was a kid?”  
  
“That’s… one way of saying it.” The officer allows. He pushes a plate forward, offering the delicious tower of baked goods to the child. They delicately take the top piece and proceed to stuff it into their mouth.   
  
“Hold on, let me get a drink.” You say when Alvaro gestures for you to take a seat too. “Want something, Frisk?”  
  
“Hot chocolate?” They ask through a mouthful of fried dough before turning their attention back to the cop. “Do you have any embarrassing stories about Bones I can use for blackmail later?”  
  
“Hah! Blackmail’s illegal, but I think I can tell you a few just for fun.”   
  
Rolling your eyes, you approach the counter. A familiar looking girl stands at the register, and she gives you a warm smile. “Hey there, Bones! Long time no see.” She chirps.   
  
You can’t help but feel a little ashamed. There’s a lot of people, humans and monsters alike, that have been in the background of your life on the surface, and yet you’ve never really took the time to know them. Or, at the very least, learn their names. “Hi, I’d like-”  
  
“Something with caramel syrup, right?” She interrupts, voice almost too quick to understand. “And I heard what your kid wanted- and oh my gosh, I can’t believe I just got to say that’s your kid! Isn’t that exciting?! I can’t imagine how happy you must be! Congrats!”  
  
“...Thanks.” You reply, trying to ignore the awkwardness you feel. This has not been the first, and most likely will not be the last, time someone offered their happiness for you and Frisk. And of course it’s a kind gesture! You just don’t know how to react properly just yet.   
  
“I saw Gigi the other day, you know.” She leans forward, grinning. “She’s been asking around, wondering if anybody had your number. She told me that she even tried finding you in the underground, but I guess the underground is still locked up from outsiders, right? They didn’t let her anywhere near the entrance!”  
  
“Until most everybody leaves, yeah.” You slowly explain. “King Asgore wants to give everybody privacy. You know how nosey people can get. Wait- Gigi’s looking for me?” It’s surprising that she hasn’t managed to track you down yet. That butterfly is very resourceful, and determined when it comes to getting something she wants.  
  
“Understandable, but kinda frustrating. I don’t think anyone but the monsters from the underground actually have your number.” The barista shrugs, “The few she managed to run into seemed kinda protective and quiet about it.”  
  
“I’ll have to catch up with her later.” You mutter. Now that you think about it, the people that you’re usually in contact with are the king, Alphys, Undyne, Mopsy, the guard dogs, Gaster, Sans, Papyrus, Mettaton- and okay, no one from the surface actually knows how to get into contact with you. And maybe most of the underground does. It’s a small place, and everyone knows a person who knows a person, right? You just wonder who had the pleasure of running into Gigi on the warpath.  
  
“Looks like your friend is getting a little impatient.” The barista comments. Turning your head, you can spot Alvaro waving at you. “Go ahead. I’ll drop your drinks off when they’re ready.”  
  
“Okay, I’m going to go straight to the point.” Alvaro says once you slide into the seat next to Frisk.   
  
“Do you ever do otherwise?” You ask, smirking. He scoffs and reluctantly gives you a smirk back.  
  
“I know we haven’t been in contact for… quite a while. Almost ten years, right? And- shit! I don’t have your number! Here, just type it in…” He reaches into the pocket of his pants and pulls out an old phone.   
  
As you bemusedly type in your details, you ask, “Is that why Papyrus had to tell me to meet you here?”  
  
“I don’t know how that boy managed to find my facebook.” Alvaro sighs, “I completely forgot I had an account. Anyway, how’s the house hunt going?” He reaches for a donut. The tower is almost halfway gone, you note. Hopefully that wasn’t all Frisk.  
  
“Could be better.” You muse, tapping your phalanges against the table. “Even with Dr. Gaster going out of the country soon, we still have five people moving in together. And we all have preferences.”  
  
“Besides the house being on the surface, how picky can they get?” He dubiously asks.  
  
“Grillby’s a fire elemental and wants to open his own restaurant.” You point out, “So we can’t really live near the beach, and we also need to be fairly close to main street. Never mind that wherever we move, the kitchen has to be the main feature. Sans has been going crazy about school districts and being close to the university- long story short, he found out that professors can get tenure and is aiming to get some of that sweet, sweet job security so he can slack off properly-”  
  
“Aren’t you all pretty rich?” Alvaro interrupts. “All that gold from the mountain… Why even get a job?”  
  
“Because then he won’t get as many breaks.” Frisk explains.  
  
“...Oh.” Your old friend says, clearly not understanding the point at all.  
  
“Not just that.” You uncomfortably look down at Alvaro’s phone and slide it back towards him. As he puts the device away, you continue. “Turns out that not all monsters were paid in gold- a lot of their currency are melted down and mixed with other, cheaper, materials. Only the ones that directly worked with the royal family get the ‘pure’ stuff.” Never spending any of your paycheck underground, you didn’t notice that little detail until Papyrus had to trade some of his pay for a bunch of the lesser valued bits of currency.  
  
 _“IF I WERE TO GIVE THIS TO OUR GROCER,” Papyrus explains, holding up a small pouch full of gold pieces, “I WOULD BE ABLE TO BUY OUT HER ENTIRE STOCK. AND QUITE POSSIBLY THE STORE ITSELF.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Ever think we get paid too much?” You ask._ _  
_ _  
_ _“INDUBITABLY. AND YET SANS STILL MANAGES TO GET INTO DEBT.” Scowling, the taller skeleton comments, “I’M BEGINNING TO THINK HE THINKS IT’S FUNNY.”_  
  
“And it’s not just the others being picky.” You sigh, shaking yourself out of that memory. “I’m kinda dragging my feet too. Al, I don’t wanna just move into some apple pie suburban hell happily ever after-”  
  
“What in the hell does that even mean?!”  
  
“It means that I’m pretty sure I’m going to be attending PTA meetings and have Frisk join a sports team.” You moan. “And I don’t need some housewife neighbor called Linda or whatever and her gluten free cookies running the bake sale and making snide remarks because I burnt the brownies!”  
  
“I think I want to try soccer.” Frisk suggests.   
  
“Mijo.” Alvaro slowly says. “Are you really worried about that nonsense?”  
  
“Didn’t you say you were getting straight to the point?” You sulk.  
  
“Right, right.” Alvaro snorts. “So, I have a confession to make.”  
  
“Are you dying?” You suspiciously ask.  
  
“Stop being a brat.” He wipes his brow with a paper napkin. “I’m just a nosey fuck- oh, sorry kid. Pretend you didn’t hear that.”  
  
“Should I put my headphones on?” Frisk asks, looking a bit amused.   
  
“Why when you’re only going to pretend to listen to music anyway.” You grumble.  
  
“Thought it would make you guys more comfortable.” They shrug.  
  
“Look, I’m a detective for a reason.” Alvaro points out. “I am a damn- er, darn- Darn good investigator! And hardheaded too. Every time I come to a dead end, I find some other way to get the information I want. But you know that, Bones.”  
  
“Oh, yeah.” You dryly respond. “I know.” No matter where you went back in the day, this man was always able to track you down.   
  
“And no matter how long it’s been since I’ve seen you, I’ve worried.” He laces his fingers together and leans forward, brown eyes meeting your own sockets. “I admit, I would at times call and ask about you at the station. Just to make sure you were somewhat safe. But then that wasn’t enough. I started wondering how you ended up where you are. So, in my spare time, I started digging.”  
  
“So, what did you find?” You ask, doing your best to keep yourself calm.   
  
“Enough.” The detective responds. “I found just enough. And I will not apologize for it.”  
  
“If you’re not sorry, then why tell me that you’ve been snooping around? You know I’m a private guy.” You irritably scratch at the back of your neck. If you want someone to know about your past, you would tell them! Going behind your back like that… Taking a deep breath, you make a move to stand up. “I need to get some air.”  
  
“I found your parents’ house.” Alvaro announces, and you freeze. “From what I’ve read, none of their things remain, but the bank took it back and it’s been for sale since. That’s why I needed to tell you what I did.”  
  
“Prove it.” You say, every part of you aching to march right out the door. “Prove that what you’re saying is true.” Frisk squeezes your wrist until you look over at them. They tug until you sit back down again.  
  
“The name Impact ring any bells?” Alvaro dryly responds, and you slump in defeat. “Did you know you’re a cold case? They spent years looking for your ass.”  
  
“...You’re not going to rat me out, are you?” You timidly ask.  
  
“If I was, you’d already be back at the station.” The detective grudgingly says. “Though I would like you to step forward one of these days, I won’t force you.”  
  
“And I’m sure Bones is real thankful for that.” Frisk gives you a knowing look. “But what about the house? Can we go see it?”  
  
The two humans look at you. Alvaro’s expression is disturbingly neutral, but Frisk is practically vibrating in their seat. With a soft sigh, you nod your head. Sure, you all can take a peek. What can it hurt?  
  
“Alright.” The detective breathes, visibly relaxing. “My car’s parked up in front.”  
  
“The cop car, right?” Frisk asks.  
  
“Yup. Go on ahead and check it out. But don’t mess with anything!” Warning said, Frisk practically sprints out the door.   
  
Once you’re sure Frisk is out of the building, you glare at Alvaro. “I want to know what else you found.”  
  
“Not as much as you’d think.” Alvaro shoots back. “That damn uncle of yours- you know, the one that kidnapped you after your parents died? I mostly used his information to find the house because you did a fine job keeping everything else about yourself a secret!”  
  
“How in the world did you find anything about him?” You scoff. “That old bastard practically drilled how to keep secrets into my skull, and here you’re saying he messed that up with himself?”  
  
“You can’t live as long as that old skeleton without leaving traces.” He insists. “Hell, all I needed was his name. Impact is one of those old names, and not many skeletons have it. It was easy to trace him to your dad, and using some guesswork, to you.”  
  
“How did you even connect him to me?” It took a lot of prying from Sans to even get that information. You definitely don’t recall sharing it with Alvaro or the officers that found you after Impact’s death.   
  
“You talk in your sleep sometimes.” Alvaro grunts, staring down at the remaining donuts. “When you slept over, I’d hear you calling out his name.”   
  
Well, that’s kind of embarrassing. You wonder if you still do that, and no one bothered informing you of this. Hell, Papyrus might have thought it impolite to confront you about talking in your sleep. That would be like him.  
  
“Did you even know that you were kidnapped?” He suddenly asks. You jerk your head up and meet his curious eyes.  
  
“No!” You shout, shrinking into your seat when the barista looks curiously over at you. Lowering your voice, you add, “I really don’t believe that he did. He was family, Al. How do you kidnap family?”  
  
“You would be surprised.” Your friend shakes his head. “So many cases crossed my desk, Bones, and a whole lot of them involved children that were taken by a divorced parent, estranged grandparents, people that a mother or father would think they can trust. And not all of those cases ended happily. You were supposed to grow up with an old family friend of your father’s, Bones, and Impact took that opportunity away from you and them.”  
  
“I’ve never heard this before.” You quietly say, cursing that you’re barely able to hold back your bones from rattling. Of course you didn’t. All that you know about your family came straight from Impact, after all. “What happened to the family I was supposed to go with?”  
  
“He died not long after you were kidnapped.” Alvaro sadly informs you. “He was a single dad, worked at the precinct here actually. And I’m sure that he would have taken you in an instant the moment we found you.”  
  
“Hard to do that when most people don’t even know my real name.” You muse.  
  
“So, ready to check the place out.” He uncomfortably shifts in his seat. “I’m sure Frisk is, but we don’t have to if you don’t want-”  
  
“You went through the trouble for me.” You gently interject. “We’re going to check it out. I’m still kinda pissed that you went around digging into my past, but… it’s really hard to hold a grudge right now.”  
  
“That’s just how you monsters are, isn’t it.” With a shake of his head, the detective lets out a quiet laugh. “Forgiveness comes easy for you. I’ve seen it with that young cat- Maxwell. Some drunk bastard deliberately spilled a drink all over him and he didn’t even… It makes me worry. Not everything can be resolved with talks and hugs like in those kid’s shows.”  
  
“If that’s what you think monsters are only capable of,” You point out, a wry chuckle making its way out of your throat, “then you really weren’t paying attention in school.”  
  
“What can I say.” Shrugging, Alvaro rises from his chair. “History never was my strong suit.”  
  
You follow your old friend towards the entrance, and the two of you are about to leave but a nervous voice calls out, “Hold on a second!”  
  
Turning, you’re surprised to see the barista approaching with two to-go cups in her hands. She hands them to you. “You almost forgot your drinks!”  
  
“Oh! Thanks.” You gingerly take them. “Uh, if you happen to see Gigi again…”  
  
“If you’d like, you can give me your number and I can give it to her.” She suggests.   
  
It feels really… strange. To give your information out like that. But you give your number to the barista and she happily scurries off. The world doesn’t end or anything like you’d expect,  but you suppose that’s Impact’s paranoia still affecting you. You can’t wait for the day his influence is entirely gone from your mind.   
  
As the two of you walk towards his car, you see Frisk sitting at the passenger seat, hands hovering over one of the switches on the dashboard. Alvaro lets out a sharp whistle and they jump. The detective chuckles at the guilty look they shoot at him.  
  
“You’re going to have your hands full, I can tell.” He quietly tells you.  
  
“I know, but after all we’ve been through… no way was I letting them go back to foster care.” Shrugging, you tug at the door that leads to the backseat.   
  
“What are you doing?” Alvaro snorts. “Does it look like I’m arresting you? Get in the front with Frisk.”  
  
“Force of habit, I guess.” Chuckling, you watch as the detective opens the correct door and gestures for you to get in. “Every time I had to get in one of these, you were taking me back to the station. Though I have to wonder- how come you’ve never cuffed me before? It’s kinda insulting, you know. Almost like you thought I was harmless and not some lowlife criminal scum that’s out snatching old lady’s purses-”  
  
“You’re full of it.” Alvaro growls, “But if you want a straight answer, I’ll give one to you. You’re a skeleton monster, and there’s no way any of our handcuffs would have fit securely enough around your wrists. There was no point.”  
  
“Hah.” You say, and he slams the door. Your old friend stomps around the car and gets in from the driver’s side. Frisk squeezes themselves against you to make more room for the larger human. It’s a snug fit, but you suppose it’s better than someone spying you riding in the back of a police cruiser so soon after adopting a kid. Everything’s taken out of context these days.  
  
The drive there is quiet. Almost too quiet, considering both Frisk’s and Alvaro’s nature. Every once in a while they’d give you a concerned glance. Whenever you’d catch them in the act they’d quickly point out a store or car they found particularly interesting. Obviously, they think you should be freaking out or something. But you can’t bring yourself to. You just feel… You don’t know.   
  
You know Alvaro went out of his way to do something good. He’s always had good intentions when it came to you, even if you didn’t know it at the time. Maybe that’s why you’re not as angry with him as you ought to be. You’re even a little appreciative. There’s no chance you’d ever go digging through your past on your own, and who knows? Maybe this house is just the thing you need- a real, solid connection to a past you barely remember. That is, if it even fits with your new life. You don’t have nothing anymore, and isn’t that something? This place has to meet your standards before you can even think about introducing the others to it!  
  
Eventually the detective turns into a fairly upper class neighborhood. Not the most prestigious the city has to offer, but you never thought you’d end up looking at a house here. Most of the properties are fairly spread apart, you note. That means big yards, which is a good thing for Cinnamon Bun (you and the others are still bewildered that Sans never unsummoned the creature, but no one’s complaining). It also means more privacy, which is a thing you highly prioritize.   
  
There are children playing outside, a good mix of monsters and humans alike. They’re well dressed, some even in their school uniforms. Sans would like that- uniforms usually mean that the schools do their best to look good, at least.   
  
And the houses… stars! They’re huge in your eyes, though you’re quite sure they look normal sized to people that are more accustomed to home ownership. At least two stories tall, with a sort of quiet dignity that only older houses that have been lovingly lived in for generations can obtain.   
  
“You sure this is the right place, Al?” You murmur. Frisk jumps in their seat, clearly not expecting you to finally speak up. Alvaro, on the other hand, just gives you one of his knowing looks.  
  
“What, too ritzy for you?” He teases.  
  
“More like you took my apple pie suburban hell comment and ran away with it.” You dryly reply.   
  
“Quiet, you.” He stops just in front of what you presume is The House and cuts the engine. The three of you sit in silence for a little while.   
  
“...What are we doing?” Frisk finally asks.  
  
“Checking out this house.” You reply.  
  
“No! I meant- never mind!” Making an exasperated noise, they crawl over your lap and pushes the door open. That done, the child hops out and starts walking towards the front door. Soon after, you follow them.   
  
On the outside, there’s nothing really special about this house. It’s a two story monster, complete with large front and back yard just like the rest of ‘em. It’s located in the middle of a cul de sac, which makes this entire place look even more… normal. Mundane, even. It doesn’t look like the sort of place someone would be kidnapped from.   
  
“The door’s unlocked!” Frisk shouts.  
  
“Yeah, got someone to leave it open for us!” Alvaro shouts back. The kid doesn’t even wait for either of you to catch up before barging inside. You’re right at the door before you realize the detective is still by the car. Turning, you spy him leaning against the vehicle, arms crossed.   
  
“Coming with us?” You call out.  
  
“Nah. I’ll step inside for the housewarming party.” That said, he pulls out his phone and starts tapping away at it.   
  
“Have it your way, old man.” Sighing, you step across the threshold.   
  
Alvaro was right. The place is empty. Not even old furniture resides here. But that’s okay. You didn’t expect anything less. You wander through the first floor, finally finding Frisk spinning around in the kitchen.   
  
“This is huge!” They shout once they spot you. “Look, there’s a space for one of those double ovens!”  
  
“Yeah.” You gingerly poke at the island in the middle of the room. It looks like marble. Hell, it probably is. “You think Grillby and Papyrus would like it?”  
  
“This is the best kitchen we’ve seen so far, I think.” They shrug. “The living room’s pretty big, too. And I think we have a dining room, even!”   
  
You try to ignore that their choice of words. It’s like they already know that this is the one. While Frisk does have the tendency to just _know_ what they want and go for it, you don’t. That sort of confidence is unnerving, to say the least.   
  
Frisk trails behind you as you slowly take in every nook and cranny of the first floor. Everything looks acceptable in your eyes. You can easily see Grillby in that kitchen and Sans snoozing in the living room. The small guestroom is perfect for whenever Gaster visits. All you have to do is poke your skull into the basement to see Papyrus obsessing over the laundry down there. Passing by the dining room, your mind can even conjure up the image of Frisk doing their homework there. They are… nice images.  
  
Upstairs is one long hallway leading to the master bedroom at the end. Four bedrooms in total, you count. A bathroom attached to the master, another to share with the other three rooms, and a guest bathroom downstairs. Every single space is completely bare, save for random cobwebs and dust.   
  
Even so, you find yourself seeing Papyrus and Grillby in that master’s. Frisk will probably be in one of the rooms directly next to the bathroom. You and Sans will probably have to flip a coin to see who has to sleep right next door to the happy couple.   
  
At the end of your exploration, you sit cross legged on the floor of the master bedroom and think. Isn’t it odd that you’re imagining a future in this place, instead of trying to remember the past? Shouldn’t you be desperately trying to remember how they decorated this bedroom, or which room was your nursery? Did your parents plan on giving you a brother or sister in the future? So many rooms in this place, all designed to house a large family… They must have.   
  
“...Bones?” Frisk asks, tapping the top of your skull. “You okay in there?”  
  
“Yeah.” You mutter. “Maybe the others should see the house. It’s nice, right?”  
  
“Yeah!” They run off again, and you can only assume they’ll be calling everyone else with the news. Impatient brat.  
  
It takes several minutes, but you eventually hear sounds coming from downstairs. You hear excited talking, interspersed every once in a while by Papyrus’ shrill exclamations over the kitchen. A few minutes more, and Sans is standing in front of you. When you don’t acknowledge him, he sighs and plops down, mirroring your position on the floor.  
  
“so, frisk gave me the lowdown.” He starts. “question is, are you really okay being here, or is this unusual passiveness of yours a result of giving in to the kid’s whims?”  
  
“If I hated this place, I would’ve let Frisk know.” You say. “Alvaro kept a close eye on me all afternoon, too. I think if I started freaking out he wouldn’t have driven here in the first place.”  
  
“you’ve got that look on your face.” Sans informs you. “it’s the one that says you’re thinking too much about something.”  
  
“I am.” You admit, “But it’s probably not what you expect.”  
  
“try me.”  
  
“Am I a bad son?” You softly ask. Sans chuckles. “No, I’m serious here!”  
  
“i’m not exactly an expert on that, bones.” He snickers. “but i’ll play along. why ask yourself that?”  
  
“Because of all this!” You wave your arm around the room. “Me and Frisk went through this place, and I was just… imagining US living here the entire time! It… It didn’t even cross my mind that my freakin’ PARENTS probably slept in this room once upon a time until just a few minutes ago! And maybe when I was a babybones, I would ask my uncle about them and he’d give me some vague answers, but then one day I just… stopped. No longer wondering about them. No longer caring. Alvaro never knew them, and he cared enough to track this place down, but the thought of doing that myself never crossed my mind. So, yeah. Maybe I am wondering if I’m just a terrible son.”  
  
“nah.” Sans shrugs. “what your monologue’s telling me is that you’re a skeleton that likes to focus on the present, and maybe a little on the future. i can dig it. what’s the point in trying to match up the pieces of your life that are missing if it doesn’t matter?”  
  
“Shouldn’t it though?” You ask.  
  
“if i thought like that, i woulda gone crazy a hundred resets ago.” Giving you a wink, he adds. “b’sides, you’re already attached to this place and you know it.”  
  
“This place is just an empty shell.” You muse.  
  
“not for long.” Sans gives you a long, considering look. “that is, if you’re up for it.”  
  
You and Sans end up flipping a coin.  
  
He doesn’t complain much when he gets the room next to Grillby and Papyrus’.   
  
And while all the little pieces of your life are falling into place, you still feel that tingling sensation in the back of your skull.   
  
You’ll remember eventually.  
  



	54. Air Mattresses and Gray Hairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You spend the day getting furniture and some other things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been slowly chipping away at this chapter for a while now. It's been a very busy holiday season, as I'm sure everyone knows, but I've been trying my best! Happy holidays, everyone.

You wake with a soft gasp. SOUL pounding in your sternum, you blindly reach and grasp at the empty spot next to you. There’s no one there. Of course there isn’t. You’re in your room, and the others are in theirs. You’re not sharing with anyone anymore, remember?   
  
With a soft sob you wipe at your eye sockets, your other hand softly rubbing at your sternum in an effort to calm down. It helps a little. It would be better if you were able to snuggle against Sans or Papyrus though…   
  
No! You have to be an adult about this. Papyrus isn’t an option anymore, after all he has his fiance! And Sans… Sans is a private skeleton. It was a lot for him to share his room with you that last week in the underground, let alone ask for more now that everyone has their own room on the surface. You know he’d be understanding and gentle with you, like he always is, but he’s already done enough.    
  
Besides, you’re already calming down. Your SOUL is slowly going back to its regular, calm rhythm and your eye sockets aren’t leaking anymore magic. You’re going to be okay. It was just a dream. A horrible, horrible dream.   
  
Even if you can’t remember what it was actually about. Instead, all you have is the memory of feeling completely and utterly alone.    
  
You push yourself up into a seated position, grimacing at the sharp pain in your lower spine. The air mattress you’ve been using for the past couple of days is almost completely flat against the hardwood floor. It must’ve deflated during the night. It’s a good thing that you’re planning on getting a bedroom set today. Who knows if your bones can take another uncomfortable night.   
  
You never thought about how much furniture an empty house might need. Before, whenever Impact saw fit to rent a place for a little while, everything came prefurnished with broken down pieces of crap. Even with the various foster homes you went to, the beds you slept on must have been used by at least a dozen other little bodies. Owning furniture that has never been used before is a very foreign concept, to say the very least. So when you entered a furniture shop for the first time with the intent to buy something, you became a little… overwhelmed.   
  
Sans was very careful not to describe your little episode as a ‘panic attack’. You appreciate the sentiment, but you know what that was. But hey, afterwards you and the others were able to pick out most of what you needed for the house! Papyrus and Grillby found a nice set for themselves as well, but you’re guessing they were highly motivated by the thought of not having to sleep on the floor for another night.    
  
Someone enthusiastically knocks at your door. You jerk your head towards the sound, a little surprised by the abrupt noise. “Y-yeah?” You answer.   
  
“OH, GOOD! YOU ARE AWAKE!” Papyrus cheerfully says. “MAKE HASTE! YOUR OFFICER FRIEND IS HERE!”   
  
Right. Alvaro did promise to give you and Frisk a ride into town. Out of the entire household, it is only Papyrus and Grillby that want to get a driver’s license in the near (immediate in Papyrus’ case) future. Sans has his shortcuts, so he feels no need. Frisk is way too young to even get a learner’s permit, and you…   
  
You’ve had experiences. Being forced to get a permit so that you can cart a truck full of kids from place to place wasn’t the worst thing that happened during your stay at the last foster home, but it definitely contributed towards your decision to run away. It also contributed to your general avoidance of adult responsibilities.   
  
But you’re starting to piece some semblance of a normal life together. It’s not perfect, of course- far from it! It surprises you sometimes how much you love it though. You wouldn’t change a thing even if you could, even if that means acting more adult-like.   
  
“BONES?” Papyrus’ voice grows a little concerned.    
  
“I’ll be right down.” You reach over to your old duffel bag. Grabbing a set of clothes from its familiar depths, you begin to change.    
  
“...MAY I COME IN?” The other skeleton still sounds a little worried.    
  
“Uh, sure?” You pull a sweater over your skull, feeling more than a little confused. Since when did anyone here ask permission to enter a room? As Papyrus opens the door and peeks in, you can’t help but question this out loud. “You know you don’t have to knock or ask me to come in, right? Mi casa es su casa, ya’know?”   
  
“I KNOW THAT!” Papyrus huffs. “BUT THIS IS YOUR ROOM. OF COURSE I’M GOING TO ASK PERMISSION BEFORE INTRUDING!”   
  
You squint at him. This only serves to irritate the guy further.   
  
“I KNOW THAT BACK IN SNOWDIN, WE WERE ALL… IN EACH OTHER’S BUSINESS, SO TO SPEAK.” He scratches his lower jaw as if in thought. “BUT BEFORE, WHEN IT WAS JUST ME AND SANS, THAT WASN’T THE CASE. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE BOTH OF US TO RESPECT THE OTHER’S RESPECTIVE SPACES!”   
  
“Oh. Right.” You look around the empty room. “So, this is considered only my space.”   
  
“RIGHT.” Papyrus confirms. “AND AS THE RESULT OF THAT, ONLY YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHO ENTERS AND WHO DOESN’T. BARRING AN EMERGENCY, OF COURSE.”   
  
“Oh, jeez. And there I was, just making myself at home in your room all that time.” You self consciously laugh. “Sorry about that.”   
  
“YOU MADE YOURSELF AT HOME IN MY ROOM BECAUSE I INVITED YOU!” He looks like he’s about to stamp his feet against the floor.    
  
“I vaguely remember sleepwalking in first.” You muse.   
  
“AND THEN I INVITED YOU.” Pausing, he then adds, “RETROACTIVELY.”   
  
You can’t help but laugh at that. “I guess I’m so used to sharing rooms that having privacy like that is just… strange.” And lonely, but you don’t want to bother Papyrus with that little problem. You’ll get over it eventually. “So what’s up?”   
  
Papyrus looks at the ceiling.   
  
“No, I mean why did you want to come in?” You grab your phone from the windowsill and turn to face him again.   
  
“OH RIGHT. YOU TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO ANSWER ME. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE ALRIGHT.” He shrugs and rubs his upper arm self consciously.    
  
“Well, I am okay.” You shrug. “Just a little rattled.”   
  
“BAD DREAMS?” Papyrus gently asks.   
  
“More… unsettling than bad.” You try to explain. “I’m a little fuzzy on the details.”   
  
“WELL, THAT’S GOOD I SUPPOSE.” He gives you a stern look. “BUT IF THEY GET ANY WORSE, YOU WILL TELL US, RIGHT?”   
  
“Yeah, sure.” You mutter. “So, uh- Alvaro’s here, right?”   
  
“HE IS ARGUING WITH GRILLBY ABOUT COFFEE.” Papyrus looks more than a little worried now. “PLEASE MAKE THEM STOP.”   
  
Okay. That makes you very curious. You toe on your boots and make your way down the stairs. Somewhere behind you Papyrus breathes a sigh of relief and follows, gently closing the door after him. As you enter the kitchen, you take in the sight of Alvaro waving his arms around (not unusual), Frisk looking vaguely uncomfortable (a little unusual), Grillby waving his arms back (unusual), and Sans sniggering into his coffee mug (back into not unusual territory, but that’s not reassuring).    
  
_ Do you even know what a cafecito is?  _ Grillby asks.   
  
Alvaro gasps. “How dare you! My people  _ created- _ ”   
  
_ Then why did you almost let the human child drink- _ _  
_ _  
_ “There’s no harm in it!” Alvaro protests. “What’s wrong with letting a kid try new things? It puts a little hair on their chest!”   
  
“He brought coffee?” You ask Frisk. The child nods and nudges a small cup towards you.    
  
“It’s not like I haven’t had coffee before.” They mutter. You take the drink and down it in one go.   
  
“The cafecito crisis is over.” You firmly announce before making a face and marching to the fridge. Damn, you forgot how bitter that stuff is. Grabbing a bottle of water, you address the old detective. “C’mon Al, we got some bedrooms to buy. Coming with us, Sans?”   
  
“eh, i dunno.” Sans shrugs. “i’m starting to like the whole ‘minimalist’ thing.”   
  
“ONLY YOU ARE SO LAZY THAT YOU DON’T EVEN WANT TO GO TO THE STORE AND TRY OUT MATTRESSES.” Papyrus stalks into the kitchen, already glaring daggers at his brother. “GO WITH THEM, SANS.”   
  
“you’re a tyrant, bro.”   
  
“TRY NOT TO GET SOMETHING THAT’S OVERLY SOFT. THOSE ARE BAD FOR YOUR SPINE.”   
  
“‘kay.”   
  
“AND BE BACK BY FIVE. GRILLBY AND I WILL BE MAKING A GRAND DINNER IN HONOR OF THE DOCTOR’S LAST NIGHT IN EBOTT. I WANT IT TO BE PERFECT!”   
  
“okay  _ mom _ .”   
  
“Get your coat, Frisk.” You say, stifling an amused laugh. They nod and dart off towards the living room.   
  
“I borrowed Maxwell’s truck.” Alvaro says, running a hand through his thinning hair. “I may have that old pontiac, but the thing’s on its last set of tires.”   
  
“How you drove that thing across the country in the first place is beyond me.” You ask, watching as Papyrus gives Sans a meaningful look. Sans cocks his head back at his brother before slowly inclining his skull towards you. You can only guess what they’re communicating to each other. “Isn’t it older than you are?”   
  
“One of these days,” Alvaro growls, “I’ll actually take offense at your words.”   
  
Turns out Maxwell’s truck is more tank than truck. Huge enough that Sans doesn’t even bother trying to climb in- he teleports just as you are helping Frisk clamber into the thing. Once you get yourself into the passenger’s side, you feel like a toddler sitting there without a carseat.   
  
“Kinda feels like we’re about to go to war.” You comment as Alvaro huffs and puffs his way behind the wheel.    
  
“The damn cat’s a texan.” The older human rolls his eyes. “You know how everyone there likes everything extra large. Now how do I turn this thing on again?” Once he remembers that he has to press the brake pad and turn the engine at the same time, it’s smooth sailing from there. Twenty minutes later Alvaro’s pulling into the parking lot and the four of you enter the somewhat busy store.   
  
“I’m going to go check out the bunk beds over there.” Frisk immediately announces.   
  
“Why do you want a bunk bed?” You ask.   
  
“Look, we all know that one day I’m sharing the room with Papyrus and Grillby’s kid.” They roll their eyes. “I’m just preparing myself for that.”   
  
“you’re gonna what now?   ” Sans’ eye flashes.    
  
“Well, they can’t exactly live in their parents’ room.” Frisk reasonably points out.   
  
“Uh… so how about I take the kid here and we’ll look at a few things. Bones, why don’t you take your… friend there, and go somewhere else?” Alvaro looks over at Frisk. “Let’s meet back here in say, half an hour?”   
  
“Don’t go overboard.” You say, not exactly sure which human you’re talking to. It does warm your SOUL to see Frisk dragging Alvaro away by his wrist though.   
  
“the kiddo likes him.” Sans observes.   
  
“Thank the stars for that.” You sigh. “Knowing Alvaro, he’ll be involved in our lives as much as he can get away with.”   
  
“you okay with that?”   
  
“Believe it or not, I am.” You laugh, and begin wandering to the more adult themed bedroom sets. Sans idly follows behind. “He’s been a good friend, back in the day. Never asked for anything in return. Well, not really. Asking me not to squat in abandoned buildings isn’t an unreasonable request, I think.”   
  
Glancing back, you can see Sans struggling to not make a comment. It’s a funny sight- his permanent grin twitching, mouth slightly opening, then closing. The hesitant way his pupils flick over at you, then away. You don’t want to say it’s endearing, but… it kind of is. Ever the protective one, despite the lazy facade he tends to favor.   
  
“Calm down, bonehead.” You shake your head. “It’s not like this is one of those dangerous cities you read about. Ebott is the tamest place to be, honestly. I’ve lived in worse places.” It only occurs to you that you said the wrong thing when Sans audibly exhales. “Hey, look! These are on sale!”   
  
“...fine.” He mutters, but his eyes do light up when he spots a king sized bed. “holy shit, i didn’t know those come that big.”   
  
“They are pretty extravagant.” You comment. “Don’t know why anybody would buy one…” Trailing off, you chuckle when Sans abruptly climbs onto said bed and splays on his back. He sinks a good inch or two into the cushioned mattress, sighing happily.   
  
“i want this one.”   
  
“You know that’s going to take up like seventy percent of your room, right?” You ask the smaller skeleton.   
  
“worth it.” Sans mutters, somehow sinking further into its depths.   
  
“You won’t have room for a dresser.” You warn.   
  
“i already have a closet.”Sans pats the spot next to him. “c’mere.”   
  
“What? Why?” You question, but approach anyway. Carefully, you sit on the edge of the bed. Your body sinks a bit, and you can already tell how comfortable this mattress is.   
  
“no, no. that won’t do at all.” Sans scoffs, shaking his head. With a flick of his wrist, you find yourself being pulled back.   
  
“Oomph!” You are now splayed right next to Sans. The plush surface molds itself around your frame, and soon enough you feel like you’re being cradled by it. It’s… nice. Not as nice as the feeling of another SOUL lying next to you, but close enough. “Wow. Okay, no wonder you want this thing.”   
  
“right?”   
  
“I’m going to have to ask for another size though. A queen would work.” You stare up at the ceiling, unconsciously scooting closer to the smaller skeleton.   
  
The two of you stay there in silence for several minutes. Your eye sockets are half closed and you’re pretty sure Sans is already napping, so it’s a surprise when he suddenly speaks up again. “papyrus wants me to talk to you.”   
  
“Is that so?” You murmur. “And did he explain why?”   
  
“nah. kinda hard to do that with hand gestures.” He turns his skull to look at you. “so what’s he so concerned about?”   
  
“I had a bad dream.” You snort. “And apparently that’s enough to set off an alarm.”   
  
“ah.” Frowning, Sans crosses his arms over his sternum. “so everything’s cool then?”   
  
“More than cool.” You assure him. “Dreams are just a thing your mind does when it’s trying to process something. These past couple of weeks have been chaotic, you know that. My skull’s been buzzing nonstop.”   
  
“last time my bro said something like that, it was because there was a bee in it.” Chuckling, he adds, “look, if there’s anything you need help with, don’t go all secretive on us, okay?”   
  
“...Okay.” You smile. “Now would you guys stop worrying? C’mon, I have to go and find a bed that’ll actually fit in my room.”   
  
“we can always tear the wall down between us.” Sans muses. “that way we can have one very large room with a very large mattress. you can add other pieces of furniture if you really want.”   
  
Sans doesn’t know how tempted you are.   
  
“Haha…” You uneasily laugh, sitting up. “Tempting, but I’ll pass.”   
  
“‘kay.” Whether or not he actually believes you is another story, but you’re glad he isn’t trying to dig any further than that. It never takes long for Sans to really get at the root of the problem if determined enough.   
  
Conversation over, you catch the attention of the nearest salesperson. Sans gets the bed, but the set you end up wanting has to be ordered. It will take a few days, but they threw in a free delivery so you’ll just have to make do until then.   
  
Frisk and Alvaro turn up moments later. The detective shoves a receipt in your hand, looking smug.    
  
“You didn’t.” You groan.   
  
“Damn right I did.” He affectionately ruffles the top of Frisk’s head. They duck and give the older man a playfully angry look. “Consider it a late Christmas present from me to the kid here.”   
  
“Don’t spoil my kid.”   
  
“You’re welcome.” Alvaro, still looking full of himself, then asks. “You guys find anything?”   
  
“Yeah. Mine’s getting delivered, but Sans bought a bed.” You shove your hands in your pockets. “The truck’s big enough to handle that, I think.”   
  
“Mine is getting delivered too.” Frisk pipes up. “I don’t really mind though. It’s kinda fun, camping out on the floor.”   
  
“My spine says otherwise.” You deadpan.   
  
“air mattress not doing it for ya?” Sans asks.   
  
“I think there’s a hole in it or something.” You shrug it off. “The thing keeps deflating in the middle of the night.”   
  
“hmm.” The shorter skeleton thoughtfully hums.   
  
“Well, let’s load what we can up now.” Alvaro gruffly instructs. “After that we have to go grocery shopping.”   
  
“We do?” You ask, raising a brow.   
  
“Papyrus called and gave me a list.” The older human makes a face. “Apparently his fiance doesn’t have all the ‘necessary supplies’ for their feast.”   
  
Your phone buzzes against your hand. You pull the device out of your pocket and squint down at it. “Huh. Asgore wants to meet me at Marco’s.”   
  
“who’s marco?” Sans asks.   
  
“Oooh, like a date?” Frisk asks, giving you a wide grin.   
  
“It’s a sandwich place just down the street.” You explain, “And  _ no, _ not like a date. Jeez, Frisk.”   
  
“alright. so let’s get lunch first, then we can go shopping.” Sans says, an amused expression spreading across his face.   
  
“Oooh no.” You shake your head. “That ain’t happening. There is no way I’m having lunch with the king with you three.”   
  
“But-” Frisk immediately protests. You wag a finger at him.   
  
“I can already tell you’re prepared to make kissy faces the entire time. So no. Go with Alvaro and Sans. I’ll meet up with you guys later.”   
  
“Spoilsport.” Frisk pouts.   
  
“yeah, way to spoil our fun.” Sans chuckles.   
  
“Do I even want to know, Bones?” Alvaro warily asks.   
  
“No.” You say just as the other two say “Yes!”   
  
Those two are going to be the death of you, you just know it.   
  
By the time you manage to separate from the group and enter the small restaurant, Asgore is already seated at a table by the window. He’s reading from the local paper, a cup of tea settled in front of him. The large monster looks up, startled when you slide into the seat opposite of him.   
  
“You’re here!” He says, surprised. “I just sent you a text. I did not expect your appearance so soon.”   
  
“How long were you going to wait if I was across town, then?” You curiously ask   
  
“I am quite fond of this place.” Asgore responds. “I can find myself spending quite a bit of time just reading the paper and drinking tea.”   
  
“Yeah, a lot of people like the food here too.” You watch as Asgore neatly folds his paper and sets it aside.   
  
“How is your family?” The king asks, patiently folding his paws in front of him on the table.    
  
“They’re doing fine.” You absentmindedly pick up a menu and scan through the lunch specials. “Went furniture shopping, and that was kind of nerve wracking. I never knew you needed so much stuff for a house!”   
  
“I suppose it is daunting for someone who has never…” Asgore pauses, then looks away as if in embarrassment. “My apologies.”   
  
“For what?” You laugh, shrugging his comment off. “Listen, I’m not ashamed of it. I was homeless, big deal. There are a lot of homeless people up here, and not many are as lucky as I was.”   
  
“Lucky?” He questions.   
  
“I never starved, the city has relatively low crime rates, and everyone seems to genuinely like, or maybe pity, me.” You muse. “No one’s gonna hear me complain about it.”   
  
The waitress stops by and you order one of their sandwiches. After some thought, the king orders a large bowl of soup. As she scurries away with your orders, you return your attention to Asgore. “So, really- why did you want to meet with me?”   
  
“Ah! Right.” Asgore nods. “Regarding your employment with us-”   
  
“You’re firing me, aren’t you?” You ask, and not because that’s what you really think. It’s just funny seeing such a large, regal monster stutter in confusion.   
  
“Goodness no!” He finally recovers, vehemently shaking his head. “As long as it is within my power, rest assured you have a job.”   
  
“Oh! That’s good.” You squeak out, looking away. Yeah, you know he wouldn’t fire you, but promising something like that… It makes your SOUL flutter. A cruel reminder that your little crush is still alive and well.    
  
“Did Alphys inform you that she is working with a research team dedicated to improving prosthetic limbs?” Asgore asks.   
  
“You mean for people that lost their arms and stuff?” You ask.   
  
“She has proven her expertise in robotics in general- Mettaton is a stunning example. Their hope is that she would be able to link her knowledge to that of human anatomy.” He pauses when the waitress returns, placing your respective dishes down before retreating once again. “It would have been foolish of them not to offer her a position. And, of course, you.”   
  
“Me?” You snort, biting into your food.    
  
“You are, after all, her assistant.” Asgore stirs his spoon into the soup. “I know how our dear doctor can get. It doesn’t surprise me that she has not contacted you yet, so I invited you to drop off some paperwork for you to fill in. At your convenience, of course.”   
  
“Lovely. More things to sign. And I can’t be mad at Alphys forgetting- She’s probably still so excited and nervous..” You shrug it off.    
  
“And, perhaps, feeling some self-doubt?” The king gently suggests.    
  
“...That too.” You reluctantly agree. Your friend has a lot of problems, and not all of them will be fixed anytime soon. Even if she already took the right steps. Creating the amalgamates like some monster version of Dr. Frankenstein… You shudder as you recall Snowdrake’s mother and her sad, drooping face.   
  
“I admit, I am mostly relieved she found a job offer so soon.” With a small laugh, he explains, “My wife, soon after finding out what happened in the lab, fired her.”   
  
“She still has that sort of power?” You ask in surprise. The goat monster gives you a bewildered look. “Okay, maybe it’s just because I’ve been on the surface and things have changed a lot in the last thousand years, but didn’t she step down as queen?”   
  
“That is… not something one can step down from.” King Asgore answers. “The title of king and queen, and all of the power and responsibility that it gives you, is a lifelong and binding contract. You have noticed, did you not, that everyone still refers to Tori as queen, even if not many monsters remember when she ruled by my side? That even you call her ‘Your Majesty’?”   
  
“...Thought it was a respect thing.” You mutter.   
  
“Perhaps, but that is as it should be.” Bowing his head, Asgore lets out a sad sigh. “She has stepped back into her rightful place to ensure that our people have the help they need to integrate into the surface world. Afterwards, she intends to run her own school. Perhaps several in the future- she is truly dedicated to children.”   
  
“Not surprised.” After taking another bite of food, you add, “I have a feeling if I didn’t adopt Frisk, she’d be the one taking care of them.”   
  
“I have no doubt.” He agrees.   
  
The two of you eat in silence for a little while. Between bites, you take in Asgore with a careful eye. While the king appears to be content, you can spot little things that tell you something different. The tenseness in his shoulders, the dark circles under his eyes, and the slightly downturned curl of his muzzle, for example, are telling you that he is actually really tired. Perhaps he is working himself too much? That’s to be expected, considering how closely he chooses to work building relations with the surface and the underground.    
  
“Is there...something on my face?” Asgore asks, brows knitting in confusion. You flinch and look down on your plate. Looks like he caught your staring.   
  
“Sorry.” You mumble. “You just look really tired.”   
  
“I am.” He readily agrees. “But I am sure I will get more rest soon enough.”   
  
“Even BOSS monsters need sleep, you know.” You sigh, shaking your head. “It’s the same thing with Dr. Gaster, except he gets so cranky when he doesn’t get his beauty rest-”   
  
“Haha!” Asgore interrupts, laughing, “That is true. I remember many a night where I would come to his office with strict orders to put his books away. But that was so long ago, as if in a dream…” An odd look crosses his face. “I wonder why he disappeared for so long.”   
  
“He, uh, doesn’t talk much about it.” You awkwardly shift in your seat, “It might have been that he needed a break?”   
  
“I will have to corner him, one of these days.” The king sighs, “I do miss having tea with him and Gerson. The three of us were rather close, back in the day.”   
  
“During the war, right?” You lean forward as he nods. “I’m surprised you’re not being bombarded by the archivists over in Oasis.”   
  
“Oasis?” Asgore frowns. “That is the city Gaster is soon moving to, correct? I suspect they may focus their attentions on him first.”   
  
“From what my uncle has told me…” You look down at your phalanges. “That place is full of nosey people- human and monsters alike. They all want to know everything. Study everything. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge. He wasn’t very fond of them.”   
  
“Ah.” He looks away from you, unsure how to respond. “I… have been warned. Not to ask too many questions about your past. But I am curious. Why would your uncle dislike those in the pursuit of knowledge?”   
  
“Was Alphys the one who warned you?” You dryly ask.   
  
“...She was one of them.” Asgore allows.   
  
“Pft. Overprotective bunch.” You are warmed by this though. Despite your feeble protests, you do like being looked after. “My uncle was a big fan of secrecy. People should only know what they need to know, and to hell with everything else.”   
  
“Opposing viewpoints indeed. And what are your thoughts on the matter?”   
  
“My thoughts?” You stammer, laughing nervously. “Doesn’t matter, really.”   
  
“They do.” He insists, patiently folding his paws together. “I would like to hear them, please.”   
  
“I think…” You think. What do you really think? You remember the betrayal, the pain, you felt when you discovered what Impact was doing to your magic. It still stings when you think about it, and you’ll never find out why the old bastard did it in the first place.    
  
On the other hand, you and the others have decided to keep the truth of Frisk’s little adventure underground a closely guarded secret. The same with Gaster’s little trip to the void. Nothing good would come if you just went and started talking about timelines and resets to anyone else.    
  
...Well, there’s your answer then.   
  
“Certain things should be a secret, if it’s to protect others.” You finish your thought. “But if someone withholds information that can benefit, or help. another… that’s bad. You shouldn’t do that. So I guess I’m kind of in the middle?”   
  
“A reasonable stance to take.” Asgore beams at you. His eyes crinkle when he does that, you notice. “And somewhat of a relief to hear. I am of the same opinion myself, but there is always room for some self-doubt.” His phone rings, and his eyes brighten further when he looks down at the screen. When you peek, you see Toriel’s name displayed.    
  
“You gonna take that?” You ask when he doesn’t move to answer it.   
  
“I do not wish to be rude.” He softly explains, shaking his head. “I will call her back after our lunch.”   
  
“No, really. I’m about done anyway.” Glancing down at your plate, you see that you only have a bite or two left. “Gotta be on your best behavior if you want to win your wife back.”   
  
“She will not tolerate a phone conversation during a meal.” Asgore tries to be stern, but you catch the teasing smile that crosses his features.   
  
“I won’t tell if you won’t.” You smirk as the king lets out a loud laugh. While you appreciate the view, a flash of gray catches your eyes. Without thinking about it, you reach forward and gently tug a strand of gray hair from his beard. “Ah! Sorry, I thought that was… something else.”   
  
“A gray hair?” Asgore frowns and holds out his paw. You gingerly place the strand in it. “How odd.”   
  
“Never noticed it before?” You ask.   
  
“I’ve never had a gray hair before.” He continues to look puzzled. “Perhaps the wind caught it within my beard while I was outside?”   
  
“...Maybe.” You allow.   
  
Still. That’s…   
  
Very odd.   
  
Hours later, Sans is napping on the couch while Grillby, Papyrus, and Frisk are clearing the table. Gaster is sitting on the recliner Sans insisted on getting, frowning down at his itinerary for tomorrow. Your lunch with Asgore is still bothering you some, so you silently approach him. After all, out of all the people who live in this house, he’s the only one who can answer the questions you have.   
  
“Hey, doc.” You quietly get his attention.   
  
“What is it.” Gaster looks up with a neutral look on his face.    
  
“Do… do BOSS monsters get gray hair?” You uncertainly ask.   
  
“Not necessarily.” Is his immediate response. “I, for one, do not have hair or fur that can ‘go gray’. On top of that, I do not have any heirs to go through that particular process, despite Sans and Papyrus’ best efforts.”   
  
“But, like, I know sometimes humans can get gray hairs from being worried or stressed…” You fumble with your words. “So, is it possible for a monster to as well…?”   
  
“No.” Gaster gives you a curious look. “Generally, hair only changes with age when it comes to monsterkind. The captain of the guard, Undyne, for example, will have her red hair until she reaches the end of her ‘middle age’ and then-”   
  
“So BOSS monsters can’t-”   
  
“Not unless they have children.” Gaster coolly repeats. “Why so curious, Bones?”   
  
“No reason.” You say, mind buzzing in alarm. You feel like you’re missing something. “I guess I’m just a little curious about the whole BOSS monster thing.” Maybe Asgore had gray hairs all along, and just didn’t notice until now?   
  
“Yes, we are a mysterious kind.” Gaster dryly says. “There isn’t enough research to go around beyond anecdotes and my own observations. Perhaps… hmm…” He looks down at his paper again. “Perhaps I shall devote some time to research things myself. It is an interesting subject.”   
  
“...Yeah. If you find anything, I’d like to read about it too.” You look away as Gaster gives you another sharp look.   
  
“I will keep that in mind.” The ex royal scientist nods, then returns to his papers. You return to your seat next to Sans.   
  
Another day passes. Sans makes you sleep with him on his new bed. It worries you, how much you crave that kind of company. You’ve never needed it before, Impact made sure of it, but after just a few weeks all of that changed.    
  
Once you have your own bed, though, things will change. You’ll figure out a way to sleep by yourself without feeling lonely or having nightmares. But until then… maybe you should just let yourself sleep.    
  
  



	55. Vegetarian Picadillo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nightmares continue, you meet up again with an old friend, and something finally falls back into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry about the long time between updates. While it's no excuse, I've been having a rather... difficult couple of months. 2018 just didn't start well at all. But now that things are calming down a bit, I get to focus more on writing again!

_A never ending haze of darkness looms all around you. You don’t know where you are, or how you got here, but you just can’t bring yourself to care. Time is meaningless. Existence is meaningless. Everything is meaningless. So you just float along as your very sense of being slowly fades away._ _  
_ _  
_ _But then there are lights. No… hearts. All around you. So close yet far away. So bright, yet very dim. All of them, little SOULs that are floating alongside you. Not alone, then. But still isolated. That’s okay though. No one can hurt you like this._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Bones!” Someone calls out. You don’t see them, but their voice echoes as if you were in an empty cavern. You don’t answer._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Bones, where are you?!” The voice calls again. It seems they don’t want to give up calling for you._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Just leave me alone!” You roar back, about ready to summon a bone attack. It probably won’t do much, but maybe it will scare them off._ _  
_ _  
_ _Wait. Hold on a second. An uneasy feeling encompasses your SOUL. Something seems very familiar about all of this..._ _  
_ _  
_ _“I’m afraid I can’t do that.” The voice is infinitely closer, but also eerily quiet. The other wandering SOULs are gone. “No matter how much I try, I’m always in the back of your mind, aren’t I? But, I have to ask you… at least try to forget about me, alright? I’m not worth anymore trouble.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Wait a second, who…?” You ask, looking around in the darkness._ _  
_ _  
_ _“I can’t disappear… if you REFUSE TO FORGET.” There’s a flash, and a large, twisted face appears just inches away from yours. You recoil just as green vines shoot out to wrap around your neck, and then…_ _  
_ _  
_ And then you wake up, springing forward with all your might, only to fall back into the mattress because of a heavy weight on your sternum. You gasp and reach up to grasp at the vine you think is holding you down, only to have your phalanges slide against bone.  
  
“woah woah woah.” Sans’ sleepy voice creeps into your ear canals and you realize you’re clutching at his arm. “you okay there?”  
  
“No.” You rasp, finally opening your eye sockets. Your pupils meet Sans’ own concerned ones. It’s still dark, save for the spark of magic emitting from one of Sans’ eye sockets. His hand is pressed firmly against your sternum. Holding you down. Were you tossing and turning in your sleep? Trying to suppress your trembling, you rasp, “I’m really starting to get sick of these nightmares.” Already the contents of your dream is fading from your memory. All that’s left is that loneliness that always seems to follow the terror.  
  
Sans doesn’t say anything. Instead, he gently tugs his arm free from your grip. Afterwards you hear him rustling under the sheets. A second later he’s tugging you close enough that you can nestle your face into the crook of his neck and shoulder.  
  
“wanna talk about it?” He finally asks. You shake your head and he sighs. “alright. it’s still early, so try to get some sleep, okay?”  
  
“Alright.” You whisper, focusing on the steady thrum of Sans’ SOUL.  
  
You must have dozed off again pretty fast, because one instant you’re in the darkness of Sans’ bedroom and in the next your phone is blasting _Teenage Dream_ by Katy Perry and the sun is way too bright.  
  
“the hell.” Sans mumbles. You grunt, keeping your eye sockets closed, and blindly reach around the huge ass bed the other skeleton insisted on getting.  
  
“Did Frisk mess with my ringtone again?” You complain, “Seriously, there’s nothing wrong with using the defaults. Where the hell is it?!” You still can’t find the damn thing.  
  
_“My, heart, stops. When you look at me. Just one touch. Now baby I believe-”_ You’re ready to scream in frustration when the sound suddenly stops.  
  
“who dis?” Sans asks, and you can hear Gigi’s squeal through your phone’s speakers. Alarm bells blare through your mind.  
  
_“Is this As-”_ _  
_ _  
_ In a blind panic, you grab the phone before Sans can hear her finish that sentence and promptly roll towards the other side of the bed. The other skeleton snorts and settles back against his pillow, eyes already closing.  
  
“Gigi!” You barely restrain yourself from shouting. “How did you get this number?”  
  
“Well, Tessa, of course.” She sounds confused now.  
  
“Who’s Tessa?” You ask.  
  
“Sugar,” Gigi sighs. “She’s that lovely barista that works at the cafe you’re so fond of. You gave her your number to give to me, remember?”  
  
“Wait.” Your mind races before you remember. “Right. Okay. What’re you doing, calling so early?”  
  
“It’s past noon.” You know she’s rolling her eyes now. “But that’s not important! What I’d like to know is: one, who is that in your bed, and two, is it the king?” Her voice turns sly towards the end, as if she already knew the answer.  
  
“What makes you think the king is in my bed?” You demand to know, flinching when you hear Sans snicker. You can feel a blush spreading across your face.  
  
“Well, the two of you did look real cozy yesterday…” Gigi trails off. “But I guess you didn’t see the morning’s paper, did you?”  
  
“...You don’t mean that gossip rag you’re always reading?” You ask, mentally groaning. All the latest rumors and doctored images end up there, and a large majority of the people in Ebott eat the stuff up like candy. You’ve always made fun of the thing- You’ve certainly never thought you’d end up there!  
  
“It’s not just _Once Upon a Time in Ebott_ !” The petite monster on the other end of the line protests. “It’s also in _The Enquirer, Starz, and-”_ _  
_ _  
_ “You’re not helping.” Even hearing the name of that wretched magazine has you making a face.  
  
“Well, all that aside!” Gigi says, sounding a little miffed. “Is it possible to meet you for lunch today? Say, two-ish?”  
  
“There’s no escaping this, is there?” You mutter, only half joking. While the butterfly monster can be a little pushy, she’s been… what? More than an acquaintance through the years, though you hesitate to call this thing between the two of you a ‘friendship’. You’ve never let it get that far. But don’t you kind of owe it to her to meet up?  
  
“Nope!” She cheerfully replies, “We must catch up!”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. The Cafe?” You sigh.  
  
“You are such a creature of habit.” Gigi affectionately insults you.  
  
As you end the call, Sans turns his head towards you. “so who’s gigi?”  
  
“A monster I’ve known for years.” You rub at your eye sockets in an effort to properly wake up. The adrenaline from waking up so unexpectedly is wearing off, only to leave you with a drained, exhausted feeling that curls around your bones. “She’s been hounding me for years to let her be my agent.”  
  
“agent?” Sans curiously asks.  
  
“She’s a talent agent.” You shrug before sliding off your side of the bed. “Singing, modeling, acting- you name it, she’s got clients for it. She’s pretty successful, I guess.”  
  
“seriously?” Sitting up, the shorter skeleton watches intently as you pad your way towards the door. “so, whatcha got that caught her eye?”  
  
“She always said I have excellent bone structure.” You shake your head at Sans’ startled laugh. “So, I’m going to get ready. It’s going to take like an hour to walk there- Woah!” You take a step back, startled by the sudden appearance of Sans standing inches away from you.  
  
“nah. i’ll drop you off.” He shrugs. “ya sure you don’t want to get some extra sleep? you have plenty of time.”  
  
“I’ll take you up on the whole teleporting thing, but I’ll pass on going back to sleep.” You cross your arms. “I’m awake now, there’s no point.”  
  
“...if you say so.” Sans raises a brow, a mild look of concern passing through his face.  
  
You leave Sans’ room and go down the hall towards the bathroom. You knock twice on the door. When no one answers, you step inside and close the door behind you.  
  
The room’s small, fitting a simple bathtub, toilet, and sink. Already everything’s crowded with Frisk’s things- a couple of combs and brushes littered around the sink, bottles of soap and hair care products shoved into the tiny shelf near the tub, and slightly used towels hanging on hooks nailed into the walls. All typical human things from what you remember. You’ll have to ask Frisk later if there’s anything that you might have forgotten.  
  
There’s a mirror hanging just above the sink. Peering into it, you realize why Sans offered you a few extra hours of sleep. Not only do you feel exhausted, you look it too. Deep, dark circles stain the bone under your eye sockets. You trace over them with your phalanges, frowning when you see your pupils flicker slightly. Another physical manifestation of exhaustion.  
  
You turn the faucet’s dial and splash water over your face.  
  
Something is definitely wrong. You know it. The question is what. Everything is fine. You adopted Frisk. You have a home. You have a family. The future looks bright. So why are these dreams causing you so much distress?  
  
The cold water makes you feel a bit better, but you still look like trash. It’ll have to do.  
  
Frisk is sulking at the kitchen table when you finally make your way downstairs. A packet of schoolwork sits in front of them, half completed. You vaguely remember them being a requirement to complete before the school officials can place them in classes next semester. All of the other monster children from the underground were handed the same packets too.  
  
You ruffle their hair as you pass by to reach the fridge. “Morning!” You try to say as cheerfully as possible. It comes out half hearted at best.  
  
“SO, ONE OF THE TWO SLOTHS HAVE FINALLY AWAKENED.” Papyrus comments, brandishing a large wooden spoon and waving it at you. He’s hovering over a pot of boiling… something. It smells edible, which is always a good thing.  
  
“Where’s Grillby?” You ask, looking around.  
  
“WELL, AFTER DROPPING THE GOOD DOCTOR OFF AT THE AIRPORT- YOU KNOW, EARLY IN THE MORNING. YOU COULD HAVE JOINED US IF YOU DIDN’T SLEEP IN!” Papyrus gives you a mock glare, abruptly stopping when he takes in your haggard appearance. “A-AND, WELL, GRILLBY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WISE TO CHECK OUT A FEW OF THE BUILDINGS HE WAS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING.”  
  
“He wants to reopen Grillby’s. Right.” You nod. “Might as well get started on all that.”  
  
“EXACTLY. SO YOUR DETECTIVE FRIEND KINDLY OFFERED TO PROVIDE TRANSPORT.” Papyrus turns back towards the stove. “MEANWHILE, I AM MAKING A DISH THAT COMES FROM HIS SPECIFIC HUMAN CULTURE, AS A TOKEN OF MY APPRECIATION.”  
  
“I see. So what’s it called?” You ask.  
  
“I AM UNCERTAIN.” Papyrus frowns down at the pot. “BUT IT REQUIRED A LOT OF GROUND BEEF. BUT THEN I FOUND OUT WHAT GROUND BEEF COMES FROM, AND THAT IT IS REALLY GROSS, SO I HAD TO IMPROVISE.”  
  
“...Improvise?” You cautiously repeat.  
  
“THE NICE LADY AT THE GROCERS INFORMED ME THAT YOU CAN USE LENTILS INSTEAD!” The proud skeleton informs you. “AND THEN SHE SHOWED ME WHAT LENTILS ARE. GOLLY, TODAY WAS SUCH AN INFORMATIVE DAY!”  
  
“Today was also the day I realized I may have to become a vegetarian.” Frisk comments darkly, “And I’m okay with that. Really. But I just barely stopped him from throwing out the milk and eggs.”  
  
“WE DO NOT EAT THINGS THAT WERE ONCE LIVING IN THIS HOUSEHOLD!” Papyrus firmly says.  
  
“Is that why you look so mad right now?” You ask Frisk, whose frown gets deeper. Okay, that has you very concerned. Taking the seat across from them, you prod a little bit more. “Seriously, is everything okay?”  
  
“I… I guess I’m just a little disappointed.” Frisk admits, looking up at you from underneath their eyelashes.  
  
“What? Why?” You helplessly ask, a sick feeling twisting around in your SOUL. Are they unhappy with everything that’s going on? Did you do something wrong?  
  
“It’s just!” Frisk wails, “I thought you said it wasn’t a date!”  
  
You take a few moments to let their words sink in.  
  
Are.  
  
Are they talking about that lunch with you and Asgore?  
  
“It wasn’t? He just wanted to tell me about my new job?” You stammer, perplexed.  
  
“But- look!” And right there you see it. Frisk grabs a magazine from under their schoolwork, its glossy cover almost blinding you before they slap it down in front of you. It’s that stupid magazine you hate! And right on the front cover is a rather… intimate looking picture of you and Asgore. It was taken just as you were reaching towards his beard, you know that, but taken out of context it looks pretty damning.  
  
...The headline, _“The King of Monsters and His New Consort?”_ doesn’t help either.  
  
“This magazine is full of lies.” You hiss.  
  
“IT CAME IN THE MAIL THIS MORNING.” Papyrus comments. “I CAN ONLY ASSUME IT WAS MISDELIVERED. NO ONE HERE HAS SUBSCRIBED TO ANYTHING YET.”  
  
“Look.” You focus your attention towards Frisk, who actually kind of looks _hurt._ “If I were dating anybody, you would be the first to know.”  
  
“Really?” They dubiously ask.  
  
“I promise.” You nod. Slowly, Frisk nods back.  
  
“And I can chaperone on your first outing, right?” They raise an eyebrow at you.  
  
“Now you’re just seeing what you can get away with.” With a roll of your eye sockets, you grab the offensive magazine and try to crumple it with your hands. It puts up a decent resistance before you give up and throw the thing away in the trash. “So, how’s the schoolwork going?”  
  
“It’s going.” Frisk scowls down at the papers.  
  
“Look, we have a few days  before you have to go back to school. Wanna go into town with me in a bit? I’m meeting an… old friend.” And maybe, with them there, Gigi will see fit to censor herself.  
  
“Yeah!” Frisk enthusiastically agrees. Less than a second later they’re running out of the kitchen, homework laying forgotten on the table.  
  
As you watch Frisk disappear around the corner, Papyrus approaches. “YOU LOOK WORSE THAN SANS.”  
  
“Probably.” You agree, folding your arms against the table. Resting your forehead against them, you proceed to mumble, “Stupid dreams are still at it.”  
  
“IS SANS’ PRESENCE NOT HELPING AT ALL?” Papyrus asks. When you don’t respond, he lets out a small sigh. “PERHAPS YOU SHOULD TRY SLEEPING IN MY ROOM?”  
  
“Stars no!” You yelp, looking blearily up at the taller skeleton. You can’t help but flinch at the concern emanating from his face. “Look, I’m not going to intrude into your and Grillby’s private space!”  
  
“ALRIGHT.” Papyrus noisily exhales. “THEN MAYBE… YOU SHOULD SEE A PROFESSIONAL?”  
  
“What, a sleep doctor?” You laugh. “How about this- if it gets any worse, I will. Give me a few more days to shake this off.”  
  
By the look on Papyrus’ face, he is more than willing to take you up on that offer. Somewhat regretting your promise, you plop your forehead back on the table and close your eye sockets. Papyrus doesn’t comment on your actions, but a few seconds later you feel his teeth clank against the top of your skull. Then he starts cheerfully humming, and you can hear him return to the stove.  
  
You doze at the table until Sans and Frisk reappear. The kid has their backpack strapped on, along with a large blue hoodie that practically envelopes their smaller frame. Probably one of Sans’, you figure. Sans himself is wearing his usual jacket and shorts. Hands shoved into his pockets, he gives you a thorough stare down before moving his gaze towards Papyrus.  
  
“hey bro, gonna drop the kids off at the city.”  
  
“HAVE FUN, BROTHER.” Papyrus chops at something on the cutting board next to the stove. It looks like… are those olives? “TRY NOT TO COME BACK TOO LATE.”  
  
Sans drops you and Frisk off right in front of the cafe’s entrance. It doesn’t look too busy, but you self consciously look down at your shoes when some of the passersby give you curious glances.  
  
“hey.” When Sans gets your attention, he continues. “i’ve got some business to take care of myself. shouldn’t take long, so give me a call when you’re ready to head back.”  
  
“Business?” You echo curiously. “What kind of business?”  
  
“i’ll let you know once everything’s settled.” Sans gives you a wide grin and reaches forward to ruffle Frisk’s hair.  
  
“Sans!” They complain.  
  
“behave you two.”  
  
“Yeah, sure.” You scoff as Sans disappears from view. With a small sigh you look down at the kid. “Eat anything yet?”  
  
“Can I have a hot chocolate?” They ask. Frisk is halfway through the door before you can even finish nodding.  
  
You’re about to follow when an ear piercing shriek has you wincing in pain. “OH SUGAR!” Rubbing your temples, you put on the best fake smile you can and turn to face Gigi.  
  
“Hey, Gi-” You start to say, stopping when she lets out a soft gasp. It’s only been a few months since the two of you talked face to face, but you guess you changed in a lot of ways. Gigi hasn’t, however. Despite the sorrow you see written across her face, she is still the same beautiful butterfly monster you know.  
  
“I knew that they photoshop most pictures…” Gigi’s voice trembles, “But I didn’t know you looked this… under the weather.” She flutters closer to you and raises her tiny hands to cup your cheeks. “Have you been sleeping at all?! And what happened to your face?!”  
  
“I’ve… been through a lot.” You admit, taking a small step backwards. Her hands fall to her sides and she takes a deep breath.  
  
“Well… I am glad to see you again.” Gigi smiles. “Come, let’s grab a seat and have a little chat.”  
  
It’s oddly familiar, sliding into one of the booths as the other monster settles into her seat on the other side. She even manages, to your annoyance, to keep her grace when Frisk abruptly plops down right next to you with their drink.  
  
“So, Gigi, this is Frisk. Frisk, this is Gigi.” You introduce the two. Frisk squints at Gigi. Gigi giggles back. Some sort of silent communication passes between them before they turn their attentions back to you.  
  
“So what’s the scoop, sweetness?” Gigi asks, propping her chin up with one hand. She flutters her eyes at you.  
  
“Scoop?” You shake your head. Of course she goes right back to that stupid picture. “There is no scoop. Asgore’s just a friend.”  
  
“Yes, yes. I heard you the first time.” Gigi rolls her eyes. “A friend, but with _power_ . A king! And somehow, I am not surprised that you were surprised that your little lunch was reported on… I mean, really!”  
  
“Things were very different down in the underground.” Frisk pipes up. “Asgore kinda… always went around, talking with his subjects. Playing with the kids. No one really batted an eyelash.”  
  
“Well, from what I’ve read, the underground was a small place.” Gigi allows. “But consider this a warning from your very good friend, Sugar- you’re going to be in the limelight for a while. Please try to remember that.”  
  
“I don’t even know how they got that picture.” You miserably look up at the ceiling. “Neither of us noticed anyone with a camera.”  
  
“You’re oblivious.” Gigi closes her eyes, then opens them again. She gives a slight nod towards her right. “Don’t look now, but you see that man across the street? The one wearing that hideous gray sweater, playing with his phone? He’s been watching us ever since I showed up, at _least._ ”  
  
“Say what now.” You dumbly reply, angling your head to catch a glimpse of said man.  
  
“I said don’t look!” She hisses, startling you into complying. “This is my point! You don’t know how to spot them, but they’re everywhere. So you must keep your composure! And, you as well, little darling.”  
  
“Me?” Frisk asks, wrinkling their nose.  
  
“There is already talk about opening more channels for human-monster adoption.” Gigi softly hums. “While the states, and many other countries, have already decided that it’s perfectly legal, there is still some public backlash against this sort of thing. I’m afraid the two of you will be one of the first case studies on this issue going forward.”  
  
“Right.” You wearily rub your eye sockets, remembering the social worker who warned you of this very thing the first day you adopted Frisk. “So we have to make sure to show that we’re nothing but a happy family.”  
  
“We ARE a happy family.” Frisk firmly says.  
  
“That we are.” You look over at them and smile. They give you a confident smile back.  
  
“The two of you are so sweet.” Gigi sighs. “So… Frisk, was it?”  
  
“Yeah?” They ask. You give Gigi a warning look when the kid isn’t looking.  
  
“Your father didn’t tell me earlier today…” Giggling, the butterfly continues despite your glare. “But who was the one with that incredible voice?”  
  
“Incredible voice?” Confused, Frisk looks over at you.  
  
“I know what word you actually wanted to say.” You despair. And just- NO! Sans is not-  
  
“Well, I can’t exactly say the word ‘sexy’ in front of a child!” Gigi snaps back.  
  
“Sexy?” Your child repeats.  
  
“Gigi!” You shout, covering your face with your hands.  
  
“Oops.” Shrugging, Gigi turns her attention back to Frisk. “How about you forget about my silly little slip up and give me a name?”  
  
“The only person Bones is sharing a room with right now is Sans.” Shaking their head, Frisk gives you a bemused glance. “And that’s only because we’re still waiting on our furniture.”  
  
“Sans.” His name rolls off her tongue. Like, like she’s trying to taste it or something gross like that. You make a face as she smirks.  
  
“Satisfied?” You groan.  
  
“Never.” She leans back into her seat. “But it will do for now.”  
  
“You are so nosy.” You complain. When she fails to look properly chastised, you let the subject drop. For now. “So, uh, what’s been going on with you?”  
  
“I’ve been thinking of taking a new client.” Gigi immediately responds. She seems ready to move on to another topic as well. “He’s from the underground, and is apparently the biggest star they have. I’ve seen some of his videos, and well…”  
  
“Well?” You prod.  
  
“He’s got the looks, the passion, and even the talent. But his finished works are barely worthy to enter the Sundance Film Festival.” She closes her eyes in dismay. “He’s going to need a little more polish before I can release him to the public up here. But I need a reliable character reference. So far, everyone that I talked to absolutely adores him!”  
  
“So what’s wrong with that?” You ask. “Obviously, if everyone likes him, doesn’t that mean-”  
  
“I want a solid critic!” Gigi firmly explains. “I can’t work with someone who only blathers on about their BEST qualities.”  
  
“Isn’t confidence a good thing?” You helplessly ask.  
  
“Confidence, yes. Narcissism, definitely not.”  
  
“Why do I have the feeling you’re talking about Mettaton.” Frisk slowly says. Gigi sighs and nods her head.  
  
“No way.” You breathe. “Gigi, I absolutely forbid this unholy partnership.”  
  
“Now, see. This is the information I need.” Gigi eagerly leans forward. “Give me all the dirty details!”  
  
“They just don’t get along that well.” Frisk gives you a look that tells you not to mention that the robot blew up your face.  
  
…Like you were even considering such a thing.  
  
“Our personalities clash, and Mettaton can’t stand it.” You roll your eyes. “He’s determined to become my friend, or was, before we escaped the underground. But I haven’t really heard from him since then.”  
  
“So he’s both clingy and flakey. Hmm..” Gigi thoughtfully comments.  
  
“He has his moments, but he’s also trying his best.” Frisk insists. “Nobody’s perfect, right?”  
  
“Of course.” The small monster agrees. “But I am to be his agent, I do need to know a lot more about him. The relationship between agent and client is a lot like a married couple, you know. You can’t make the most out of it when there are secrets.”  
  
Frisk stares down at their drink, nodding. “Yeah, I think I get that.” With a soft sigh they proceed to lean against your side. You absentmindedly sling your arm around their shoulders and proceed to take over finishing the rest of the sugary beverage.  
  
“I never wanted children, you know.” Gigi softly comments. Startled, you give her a questioning look. “I never understood how someone would want to have someone so… reliant on you. Clients are more than enough for me! But… parenthood looks really good on you.”  
  
“Still not signing up with you.” You dryly respond, trying to hide that awkward, warm feeling settling in your SOUL.  
  
“You know what? I’m glad you never took me up on that. You’ll be far happier with what you have now.” She gives you a serious look. “Though you do look like you need some more sleep. Try not to let your boytoy keep you up so much, hmm?”  
  
“There are so many things wrong with what you just said…” You growl. “But I’m too tired to actually explain them all to you.”  
  
Surprisingly, it takes a few hours before you and Gigi call it a day. The sun is starting to set, the street is emptying as cars make their way home, and you shiver as it steadily gets colder. The butterfly monster gives both you and Frisk a warm hug, promises to make a visit to your home once everything settles down, and disappears into her car. As she drives off, Frisk comments, “She seems nice.”  
  
“She’s… Gigi.” You sigh and shake your head. “Let’s call Sans.”  
  
The house is quiet when the three of you finally get home. In the living room, Papyrus and Grillby are snuggled up together on the couch. The television is playing some old Mettaton play, but the sound is muted. With a quiet chuckle Sans grabs a blanket and tosses it over the two.  
  
“never thought i’d ever see my bro willingly take a nap.” Sans says, leading you and Frisk to the kitchen. “it’s a gyftmas miracle.”  
  
“Gyftmas already passed.” Frisk comments.  
  
“gyftmas will always be in your heart, no matter the time of year.” Sans solemnly replies.  
  
An odd feeling passes through you at that moment. It sweeps through you, dipping around your ribs and down your spine until you feel anxious and dazed. You have the sudden urge to go upstairs.  “I’ll be right back you two. I need… to get something.”  
  
“you okay, bones?” Sans asks.  
  
“Yeah.” You distractingly say. Rubbing the back of your neck, you sheepishly grin at him. “Just give me a minute.”  
  
They’re both starting suspiciously at you now, but don’t try to follow as you make your way upstairs and down the hall to Sans’ room. SOUL pounding, you shakily turn the doorknob and push at the door. .  
  
Why are you just… blindly following this urge? You pause, door halfway open. A part of you hopes that you’re getting some kind of answer. Maybe, just maybe, whatever’s been bothering you is going to leap out and you can confront it. Then, you can finally get some sleep.  
  
So, with all this on your mind, you don’t know what you’re expecting to see. Some evil, psychic powered being that leeches power from your dreams? A ghost or demon? Hell, maybe it’s nothing and you’re just slowly going crazy. The absolute last thing you expect to see, however…  
  
Is a small white dog, curled up in the middle of Sans’ bed.  
  
You blink at the snoozing canine, shoulders slumping as you let out a desperate laugh. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.” Mumbling, you take a few steps forward until you’re pressed against the side of the large mattress. “How’d you even get in here?” It’s the dog that blew your cover when you hid in Papyrus’ closet. Way back before you got close to the brothers.  
  
The dog stirs, lifting its head to give you a dopey look. Then, it slowly stands, stretching its legs out and shaking its tiny body into wakefulness. Yawning, it makes its way towards you.  
  
With a relieved laugh, your phalanges stroke through its soft fur. “So where’ve you been hiding?”  
  
The dog doesn’t answer you. Of course it doesn’t. But it does cock it head like it understands. Again, you’re reminded of the small differences between monster dogs and regular dogs. You’re really not sure about this little guy. Afraid that you’re just going to end up embarrassing yourself, you ask, “Can you even understand me?”  
  
Softly woofing, the pup gets up on its hind legs. Its little front paws rest against your sternum as its snout reaches up towards your face. Without even thinking, you lean down ever so slightly. That’s more than enough for the cold nose to boop against your nasal cavity.  
  
Flashes of light and sound rush through your mind.  
  
The golden hallway…  
  
Asgore, softly pleading for Frisk to go home…  
  
Toriel, breaking down doors to get to the throne room in time…  
  
And Flowey-  
  
FLOWEY.  
  
“That little weed.” You shout in frustration.  
  
You remember now.  
  
  
  



End file.
